


Play - Played Back

by RadderbeRad (MiaMoonWolf)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Otabek Altin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, DJ Otabek Altin, Dat heartburn, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Model Yuri Plisetsky, Oblivious Yuri Plisetsky, Omega Yuri Plisetsky, Original Character(s), Otabek's brother is getting married, Pining, Slow Burn, Wedding Date AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-06-26 16:04:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15666591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaMoonWolf/pseuds/RadderbeRad
Summary: The twinkle in Victor’s eye should’ve warned him of the trouble ahead, but Victor’s genius masqueraded as idiocy often enough that Yuri found himself reeled into webs that he had no hope of escaping.This was no different.“Go where,” Yuri gritted.And then in a rush Victor said “to his brothers wedding back in Kazakhstan where Otabek’ll be introducing them to his longtime boyfriend and proving to the family that they don’t need to worry one teeny bit about their precious youngest child.”





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Otabek's eldest brother is getting married and Yuri pretends to be Otabek's boyfriend.  
> That's pretty much it.  
> Oh and the rating may change later and I'll add tags as they come up.

Yuri Plisetsky at the ripe age of 20 was having a fabulous morning. He’d managed to get a run in before he had a successful photo shoot, and then because he was a kind soul he’d agreed to meet Victor and Yuuri for a late lunch.

Ok so he’d only agreed because Otabek was in town to record with someone and he’d agreed to go. In fact Yuri was sure that Victor had invited Otabek first so as to lure Yuri in. That fucker. Yuri wasn’t even sure how they’d become friends, if you could even call them that. But he supposed that Victor being a famous Russian actor and someone that Yuri ran into often at after parties made it so that they ended up in this situation. And Yuri didn’t _always_ hate Victor – just most of the time. And this was one of those times. They were meeting at Victor and the Piggy’s loft – a gaudy monstrosity of a flat that offended innocent guests such as Yuri himself.

Yuri had barely opened the door when he smelled trouble.

Katsudon was nowhere in sight and the momentary joy that he felt at seeing Otabek was quickly extinguished when he heard Victor’s voice.

“Yurio could help,” Victor trilled loudly.

Yuri, eyes already narrowed, turned to see Victor giving Otabek the sort of “friendly” side-hug that should be reserved for people you’re actually friends with. Yuri scowled, well he scowled more as he stomped over.

“Don’t speak for me,” he said as he approached. Victor’s eyes were gleaming in a way that spelled mayhem and Yuri wasn’t having any of it.

“But Otabek _needs_ you.”

“What does Otabek need?” Yuri said warily, all too aware of the whine behind Victor’s pleas.

The door behind them opened and they turned to see Katsuki Yuuri entering the apartment face slightly flushed and chest still heaving a little and running shirt damp with sweat.

“Beautiful,” Victor whispered, immediately letting go of Otabek and gliding over to Yuuri who was now flushing even harder. Yuri’s nostrils flared and he blew a loud raspberry in their general direction. Bottomdwellers, total peasants he thought as he turned away from the nauseating scene. He opened his mouth to ask what Victor had been on about, but stopped when he saw the small frown on Otabek’s face as he continued to watch Victor and Yuuri.

Yuri found the words stuck in his throat, not wanting to interrupt whatever Otabek was thinking through, because that’s definitely what he was doing. But by the time he had restrained himself from talking Otabek was already turning toward him.

“What was Victor-”

“It’s nothing,” Otabek said quietly. He was the softest spoken alpha that Yuri had ever met. He was broad sure, and definitely strong, his fitted shirts pulling even tighter than usual after he’d presented two years ago. But he didn’t fit any of the other stereotypes. Yuri mused that most alphas would’ve been up front and demanded assistance straight away while somehow trying to convince you that they were simultaneously not in any need at all. Most alpha’s were like JJ. Fucking no-good bag-of-dicks prick. Yuri quickly got lost in fantasies about JJ’s life falling apart – how amazing would it be if Isabella cheated on him and-

“Yurio what a scary look!” Victor crooned with an affected shudder. Yuri hadn’t even noticed him and Katsudon come over. He shook his hair out, glee at his dreams of JJ’s utter demise being quickly replaced by the view of Victor’s arm slung low around a gross-smelling Katsudon’s hip. “Now Yurio-”

“Don’t call me-”

“You must help Otabek.”

Yuri bristled at being ignored but turned to see Otabek looking even more troubled than before. The goon Victor couldn’t tell of course, but Yuri could. “Of course I’ll fucking help Otabek,” Yuri said defiantly. “What needs doing?”

The twinkle in Victor’s eye should’ve warned him of the trouble ahead, but Victor’s genius masqueraded as idiocy often enough that Yuri found himself reeled into webs that he had no hope of escaping.

This was no different.

“Well you’ll go with Otabek of course.”

“Go where,” Yuri gritted.

And then in a rush, smile stretched wide Victor said “to his brothers wedding back in Kazakhstan where Otabek’ll be introducing them to his longtime boyfriend and proving to the family that they don’t need to worry one teeny bit about their precious youngest child.”

Yuri froze. He blinked once. He blinked twice, before slowly turning to Otabek who looked pained and confused and apparently desperate because he had gone to fucking _Victor_ for help and why hadn’t he talked to Yuri first and who was this boyfriend-

“Wait,” said Yuri hands already up and eyes wide with horror.

“Yes my little Yurio,” Victor said, grabbing both of Yuri’s hands in his and twisting him away from Otabek. “You’ll be Otabek’s fake boyfriend!”

“No way in hell am I being anyones fake _anything.”_

“But think of his family,” Victor pleaded, eyes going glassy and wide.

“Please,” Otabek said quietly.

It had been so long since he’d spoken that Yuri had almost forgotten that it didn’t matter what Victor said it was what Otabek said that counted and if Otabek was asking him- no _begging_ him to go then fucking hell Yuri would be on a plane, in less than two hours if need be, so that Otabek would have the fucking support he nee-

“Don’t make Yuri do anything he doesn’t want to,” Otabek finished.

Oh, Yuri thought. That’s what Otabek had meant. Before Victor could butt in again Yuri shoved a hand at his face, ignoring his whimpers as he turned to Otabek.

“Did you tell your family that you’d be bringing someone?”

Otabek hesitated “it just kind of happened.”

Well that was that then.

“Right, I’m definitely going.”

Yuri was mildly aware that Victor has stopped struggling, but all Yuri could focus on was the way Otabek’s shoulders relaxed slightly, his eyes flitting across Yuri’s face as if checking that he was serious.

“You shouldn’t force yourself, I didn’t mean to ask you to do this.”

Yuri waved Otabek off.

“How hard could it be,” he said airily. They were best friends after all, this would be easy as holding a slice of cake and congratulating the happy couple. “When do we leave?”

“It’s next month,” Victor said. Yuri cut him a glare and then gave Yuuri the stinkeye for good measure. Otabek nodded in confirmation.

“We’ll be there for a weekend?”

“My family wants me for the whole week, but you could come later if-”

“I’ll go with you,” Yuri said already thinking of how to get out of whatever Yakov had lined up for him. He wouldn’t make Otabek show up empty handed.

Over the next week the details were ironed out, flights booked and plans made. It wasn’t until the night before they left that Yuri actually thought about what was happening. Starting tomorrow he was going to be pretending to be Otabek’s boyfriend.

Holy shit what the fuck had he gotten himself into. Otabek was his best friend. But if they were boyfriends then surely they’d be more... well more like Victor and Yuuri. Yuri rolled over in his bed trying not to gag. No even in this fake world of fake dating they wouldn’t be that gross. But they would probably be more intimate. Yuri tried to imagine holding Otabek’s hand, or clinging to him like a soppy omega and laughing at his jokes. He wrinkled his nose. It wasn’t like they didn’t ever touch, it just seemed different now. A cold hard lump was forming in his stomach, something about this felt wrong. Was it because Otabek was lying to his family? Yuri scoffed; like he cared about lying to people. But he definitely felt something. He wiggled around in his bed trying to alleviate some of the discomfort radiating off his skin. And yet, if this would help Otabek there was no question.

Tired and grumpy Yuri rolled over into sleep.

Yuri had been seventeen when he’d met Otabek three years ago. It had all happened on accident of course. Yuri, having just finished a runway show had found himself backed into a corner by a hoard of omega followers. His fans were horrid. How they’d ever been titled “angels” was beyond him. Besides, what sort of people got obsessed with omega fitness models? As the spokesmodel for Charge Yuri enjoyed one of the few top model positions granted to Omegas in fitness. Most of the other omega models were perky seductresses who wore flimsy pieces masquerading as “workout clothes.” They were the kind of brands that his mother had walked for before she’d died. “ _That’s what the people want Yuri,”_ he’d been told time and time again. But fuck that. He was strong and beautiful and muscles like his deserved to be out in rock climbing gear, or on a bike or at a fucking ballet studio dripping sweat. It was bullshit that all that sporty crap was targeted at alphas and betas. _Like fuck_ he couldn’t do anything that they could too.

But anyways, his fans were almost all girls who tracked him like a pack of wolves. It was horrifying and as he’d run off from the Fall Fitness Fashion show he’d smacked right into a seeming dead end, his black shirt waving behind him and hair somehow staying in the intricate braid that Lilia had done for him earlier. The roar of an engine caused him to briefly imagine the girls running him over. Death by fans, he thought darkly as he turned around, blinded as a motorcycle halted in front of him.

“Get on.”

He caught the helmet on instinct and barely had time to look at the dark eyes staring into his before he heard his hoard squealing in triumph as they caught sight of him. This was a terrible plan and he was so down. Clinging to the strangers back he hastily pulled the back of his shirt over the license plate as they sped away from the screaming throng. Thank fuck. He didn’t even have time to consider that this guy could be a serial killer before they were slowing down on a dimly lit road by an inconspicuous metro station.

Yuri got off but the stranger just sat there looking up at him.

“Thanks,” Yuri said. The stranger nodded and continued to stare. Did he know who Yuri was? “I’m Yuri,” he said quickly. Fucking idiot.

“Otabek.”

Yuri felt something pleasant settle in his chest like the quiet rumble of a tiger. That was a cool ass name. He couldn’t help but take in the sweep of broad shoulders the undercut that looked effortlessly cool as opposed to douchey like JJ’s and hell did he look good in leather. “Well Otabek, thank you for saving me from…”

Otabek merely nodded again, not letting on whether or not he recognized Yuri.

It was annoying and yet weirdly attractive as well. But Yuri had more pressing matters.

“I’m Yuri Plisetsky, maybe you’ve heard of me.” He was not an attention whore but what he was was very aware that there was a small chance that the internet was about to explode with photos of him and a mysterious stranger on a bike together. And this guy needed to be prepared for that reality. Yuri almost felt bad that he’d dragged some poor fuck into his limelight. But it was unlikely that anyone would figure out from the photos who Otabek was.

“I know,” Otabek said. Yuri startled out of his thoughts.

“Well, so there’s a chance there’ll be photos of our little rendezvous-“ he held up his hands quickly eyes closing briefly, “not that it was a rendezvous. I just thought you should know.”

Otabek nodded a few times. “Yeah no worries.”

Yuri stared. The idea of calling Yakov to tell him the situation was so unappealing that he couldn’t help but keep talking.

“What’s your last name?”

“Altin.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a DJ.”

Yuri stared, mother-fucking-leather-clad DJ who literally saved his ass. Yuri tried not to drool but the undercut was doing weird things to his brain.

“Actually I played at the show.”

“Hah?” Yuri said undignified.

“Yeah.” Otabek was scratching the back of his neck and looking off to the side. Were his cheeks slightly red?

“For what brand?”

“Alpura.”

“Isn’t that Kazakhstan’s national football brand?”

Otabek nodded again.

Alpura was notorious for having all male models. Well they were all athletes, a field dominated by alpha strength and pigheadedness. At least he hadn’t been DJing for JJ’s brand. Those fuckers. Big busted omegas and hulking idiotic alpha’s. JJ, the yupped up polo-drawn fucker always modeled for his own brand, and did most of the music. Yuri glared just thinking about it before he realized that Otabek was looking down. Fuck Yuri didn’t want him to think that he’d been looking darkly on Alpura.

“I’m just glad you didn’t say King JJ,” he blurted hastily.

Otabek made a sound of understanding. “Are you any good?” Yuri demanded to which Otabek let out a startled laugh that he hastened into a cough.

“You heard me didn’t you?”

Yuri bit his lip. “Alpura went right before us, I was kind of…” busy having a loud blow-dryer aimed at my hair and shoving myself into tight pants he finished in his head.

“You looked good,” Otabek said suddenly. Yuri felt his cheeks heat up and yep there was definitely a slight flush on Otabek’s as well. “I mean you did a good job,” he amended.

“Thank you,” Yuri said quietly. Jesus was he a schoolgirl or what. “I’m pretty fucking fantastic,” he said fiercely.

Otabek merely smiled before looking past Yuri eyes going a little wobbly. Yuri turned around to see the prominent scowl of Yakov heading their way.

Yuri, realizing that he had two seconds max, snapped at Otabek. “Phone, your phone number, give it to me now.”

As soon as Otabek gave him his digits Yuri whispered “flee,” before hurrying over to Yakov and attempting to block his view until he heard the motorcycle’s roar drown down to a purr.


	2. Monday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So updates are going to be Fridays :)  
> It's looking like it'll be about 25000 words  
> mabes  
> probs  
> hope you like this next installment  
> Also I listed Otabek's siblings in the endnotes for extra reference ;)

Yuri didn’t feel as shitty as he thought he would come morning. He reached over for the ball of fluff that usually occupied the space to his right before remembering that he’d dropped Potya off at Victor and Yuuri’s yesterday. His bag was mostly packed, but he found himself throwing more things in at the last minute and hastily covering his face with his tortoiseshell shades as his cab pulled up. His phone chirped at him as an onslaught of messages from Victor poured in during the drive.

_Yurio is finally leaving home with a MAN for the first time_

_Don’t forget to brush your teeth_

_Keep your morning wood to yourself_

_Are you sure you’ll survive without me to calm your tender omega soul_

Yuri rolled his eyes and told Victor to fuck off.

ଘ꒰ ๑ ˃̶ ᴗ ᵒ̴̶̷๑꒱و ̑̑ Victor messaged back. The fuck was that supposed to be. Whatever, Yuri didn’t care what Victor meant anyway.

Otabek was waiting for him in the VIP lounge at the airport. The show that they’d met after had been Otabek’s first and it had been meteoric, especially considering how short it had been. Yuri bemoaned the fact that he hadn’t been paying attention and had missed what was supposed to have been an amazing set. But they’d started messaging and when they were in the same city they’d meet up, Yuri bombarding his instagram with photos of them and the wonderful #bestfriend that he’d never had the chance to use before. Being able to see him now after just a month of being in different cities was a blessing in itself. Outside of his grandfather (and Victor a small voice supplied which he firmly shutdown) he’d never had a close friend. Now things were slightly different. Now there was Mila and Katsudon too who he grudgingly acknowledged as people who didn’t annoy him to hell and back. But mostly there was Otabek.

“Yo,” Yuri said as he threw a brown paper bag at Otabek. It hit him in the chest and he peered inside before taking out the buttered croissant.

“Thanks,” he said quietly as Yuri settled into the seat next to him. Yuri grunted, still bleary from waking up too early. “Also this,” he said tossing a second parcel into his lap. Otabek pulled out a t-shirt that read “Future Omega to Otabek Altin.” Otabek’s eyebrows furrowed.

“You know, in case your family needs extra convincing I can come downstairs in nothing but that.”

There was a beat of silence.

“What a sight that would be,” Otabek said blandly, taking a bite of his pastry.

“I’ve been told I have gorgeous legs, go on for miles, practically a giraffe.”

“I love giraffes.”

The snort was undignified on Yuri’s part and even the side of Otabek’s mouth lifted for a second.

They’re in first class, obviously. It’s only a four-hour flight but Yuri was still hoping to get some shuteye. Otabek let him take the window seat and Yuri contorted into a ball with his sleep mask and earbuds out before they’d even taken off. There’s a soft brush of fingers in his hair and Yuri finds his breathing evening out. He leaned back in his chair, willing sleep to come and it came quite easily.

When he came to it was to find one of his earbuds trailing down. He pushed his sleep mask up and blinked over at the window and then at Otabek who’d just closed a book.

“Is it any good?” Yuri asked. Otabek turned to him.

“It’s-” he stopped eyes drifting up to somewhere around Yuri’s forehead. “Your hair.”

Yuri hastily yanked the sleep mask off his head and endeavored to flatten his hair. Otabek had tucked his lips into his mouth in an attempt not to smile. Yuri threw him the bird before chuckling himself.

“Be honest, how shit do I look?”

“You never look shit,” Otabek deadpanned making Yuri grin. He felt much more awake now and grabbed greedily at the coffee that Otabek requested for him.

“So… you haven’t actually told me about your family,” Yuri said frowning slightly. Was it odd that he didn’t know anything about Otabek’s family other than that he had siblings (according to Victor) and his parents were alphas?

If Yuri were to guess he’d say that Otabek would be a big brother to a precocious sister, and maybe he’d have an older sister as well. Homey parents most likely. A quaint house with knick knacks. That definitely fit.

“It might be good to know now,” Otabek said unconcernedly.

“I should’ve asked.” Yuri peered over the edge of his cup, “before all of this.” Otabek just shook his head and Yuri nodded at his understanding.

“Tell me everything, I’ll find out soon enough anyway.”

Otabek sighed but looked pleased.

“It might kind of… shock you.”

Yuri waited.

“I have six brothers.”

“Six,” Yuri screeched.

A snooty woman across the way sniffed loudly at them, her nose upturned. Yuri tried to climb his way over to her but a strong arm across his chest prevented him from delivering justice through strangling her with her own pearls.

“Yura,” Otabek said quietly. Something tingled in his spine as he looked into Otabek’s admonishing eyes. They seemed even darker than usual today. Perhaps it was the weird lighting in the airplane. He shimmied back into his seat taking care not to elbow Otabek in the ribs and pulling his hoodie down more comfortably.

“Six?” Yuri said quietly. “Where do you fall in the pack?”

“I’m the youngest.”

A lot of parents were weirdly protective of their last child. Hopefully Otabek’s family would be different, but somehow what with Victor’s speech and the fact that Yuri had tagged along in the first place he doubted it.

“Ok all boys and you’re the youngest,” Yuri breathed, “got it.”

“My brother Serik is the one getting married.”

“Is he an alpha too?”

Was it his imagination or had Otabek hesitated. “Yes,” he said slowly. Yuri frowned but before he could ask, the flight attendant’s disembodied voice announced their final descent.

“One last thing,” Otabek said in the quickest voice that Yuri had ever heard him use. “My family is picking us up.” Yuri wasn’t really surprised and nodded his understanding. He grabbed his leopard-print suitcase, it matched his carryon, and followed Otabek out. He looked around, expecting a few brothers and maybe Otabek’s parents.

Nope, wrong again.

“Otabek!”

Yuri turned and saw to his horror a sea of sportswear clad hulking men. They were all taller than Otabek and they were all reeking of alpha pheromones and testosterone. Yuri almost gagged on it. He followed behind warily, head already tilting back just to keep the giants in full view. They seemed to be drawing a certain amount of attention, mostly from younger females Yuri noted. He understood the appeal; they were what every sports magazine and omega wet dream was branded as. Strong, tall, and confident. Yuri realized that Otabek was literally drowning in a pile of brothers and Yuri quickly scooted closer, exuding a calming scent in case it might help. Well he tried to anyway through his own irritation which was flashing red through his veins.

“Oh.”

Yuri turned to see one of the boys staring at him. He had fairer skin than Otabek and light freckles across his face, his eyes were intensely dark and he had the look of an overgrown puppy, Yuri could see the dawning realization.

“So you _are_ dating Yuri,” he said eyes still fixed on Yuri and face poking down as if examining him. “I knew it! All those fucking photos, when you _never_ let us take them.” Yuri backed away slightly, this guy needed to back the fuck up and he was about to tell him so when there was another brother crowding in.

“He’s even prettier in person.”

“Check out the hair.”

Yuri swatted to his left as someone reached out to touch a lock. “Get your paws off me you fucking fixture,” he started venomously. The three boys in front of him blinked before roaring with laughter.

“Holy shit Beks,” one of them snorted while nudging Otabek. Beks? Yuri didn’t quite know what was going on but they seemed to all be clapping each other on the back and snickering.

“What a mouth on the _omega_.”

“The press really doesn’t do him justice.”

Yuri’s eyes were slits as they followed the dialogue.

“Are you fuckers going to explain what the hell is going on?” Yuri finally said.

There were more fits of laughter at Yuri’s expense but somehow it seemed more surprised and intrigued than mean, which was somehow even more annoying.

“Come on,” one of them said clapping him on the back. “We’re not so bad, once you get to know us.”

“Doubt it,” Yuri said.

“Let me get your bag,” said the one who had first leaned over him. Yuri was about to protest when he said. “It’s not cause you’re an omega, it’s cause you’re a guest. I’m Nurasyl by the way.”

“Well ok then,” Yuri huffed.

He was so busy tromping after the terrors, which collectively smelled like an herb garden (which was just…) that he almost didn’t notice Otabek reach for his hand. He jumped at first, but when Otabek went to pull his fingers away Yuri squeezed his hand tight and leaned into his side sighing. Thank god for Otabek.

“Sorry about them,” Otabek said quietly, hanging back slightly as they followed his brothers out.

Yuri shook his head. “Nothing I can’t handle,” he said decisively. “They’re like a runway – you just have to proceed with confidence.”

Otabek’s lip twitched, his hand relaxing in Yuri’s. “Is that so?”

“Definitely.”

The cars were of course sports cars. Yuri wasn’t sure if this was real anymore. He checked for vanity plates surreptitiously before reminding himself that not all sporty alpha’s were JJ’s. They piled into the three cars, which the alphas barely fit into and Yuri bit his tongue to keep from remarking on it.

“Flight ok?” Nurasyl asked as he started up their car.

“Yeah,” Otabek answered.

Nurasyl nodded in the same way that Otabek did and Yuri realized that that was the first similarity he’d seen between Otabek and one of his brothers well that and the eyes; they all had deep brown eyes.

“Are you sure you’re related,” Yuri blurted. Nurasyl snorted and Otabek looked politely mystified.

“Of course.”

“You’re all alphas,” Yuri said after a moment.

Otabek hummed.

“So like what about the rest of your family, are they all alphas too?”

“Not only that,” Nurasyl snickered, “but also-”

“Nura,” Otabek said in a warning tone and Nurasyl shut his mouth seeming embarrassed.

“What?” Yuri asked looking between the two of them.

“Nothing,” Otabek said. His smile, his scent, the pat on Yuri’s knee – they were all meant to be reassuring but the niggling sense that he was missing something wouldn’t be quelled. He’d just have to wait and see.

Nurasyl and Otabek slipped into Kazakh and Yuri took the opportunity to look out the window. There were buildings whooshing by them and then eventually mountains creeping into view. Slowly the city seemed to fade away and just as Yuri was starting to wonder if Otabek’s family even lived in Almaty proper Nurasyl turned off onto a mountain road. They went around bends and turns narrow enough that Yuri understood the appeal of a sports car and then they were sitting outside a slowly opening wrought iron gate.

“Otabek?” he questioned.

“This is the family estate.”

Yuri just blinked in confusion before “holy fucking fuck.” It was a mansion.

“You didn’t tell loverboy the sitch? Wanted to make sure he didn’t just want you for the money?” Nurasyl teased.

Yuri was getting whiplash from how fast he was looking from the mansion to Otabek to Nurasyl to Otabek again.

It was then that he noticed the slight dusting on Otabek’s cheeks. “Yuri wouldn’t care about the money,” Otabek said and Yuri preened before deflating slightly because had Otabek just said that because that’s what someone would think about their boyfriend? Or did Otabek actually know that what he’d said was true of his best friend? Yuri looked at him questioningly, hoping that he could read his mind. “It’s not in his character to use people,” Otabek continued. Well now Yuri was just embarrassed, but pleased to have his answer all the same.

The entryway (yes it was bigger than Yuri’s whole apartment) was stately. Large statues lined the sides to a grand staircase.

“Mom is going to flip,” said one of Otabek’s other brothers eyeing Yuri deviously. He looked exactly like Nurasyl and Yuri did a double take.

“Twins,” Otabek supplied. “This is Erasyl.”

“Because that’s not confusing,” Yuri said. He was feeling a slight sense of nerves though. Was he not what Otabek’s mother would want for him? And if that were the case then what was even the point of his being here. He didn’t want to somehow make Otabek’s family angry at Otabek for bringing home some floosy model. Not that Yuri was but this wasn’t the first member of the family to seem way too surprised at the idea that Otabek was bringing Yuri home.

They walked through a music room, a tearoom, a conservatory (Yuri swore that that plant hovering above him just moved and he found himself walking a little more quickly to keep up), and then there’s a room filled with-

“Oh my god.” Yuri ran to a couch where several cats were sunning themselves looking regal. They parted like water for him and as he started petting them even more seemed to come out of the walls. “Sleek and beautiful,” he said approvingly as he began taking selfies and posting them to instagram. It wasn’t until he heard a cacophony of laughter that he halted. Erasyl and Nurasyl had poked their identical stupid faces back in just to cackle at him but then his eyes found Otabek and there was a strange expression of contentment on his face as he watched Yuri. He looked almost puzzled, but his eyes were shining as if he was really quite happy. Yuri picked a cat off of his shoulder and one off of his lap and then a mewling one off that tried to take the vacated lap.

“So what’s next?” he said as he hastily followed out the door the twins had disappeared through.

By the time they’d made it to the kitchen, “the second kitchen” Nurasyl added, Yuri was sure that he’d walked a whole kilometer just from the entrance.

“Hungry?” Otabek asked.

“Starved. Like a tiger, who wants to eat a horse.”

“Do tigers eat horses?” Otabek asked placidly.

“Yes. Wait… do you own horses?”

“We do.”

“So you can ride….”

Otabek hummed in agreement as he rummaged through a very well-stocked fridge. They were alone in the room and Yuri experienced a kind of calm settle over them. Silently Otabek put a salad together while Yuri checked his instagram and emails on his phone. At some point another brother – Azad – Otabek supplied found them and told Otabek that mom said Yuri could stay in his room. Azad wiggled his very bushy eyebrows and then disappeared out the backdoor.

“He’s fourth, then the twins and you really don’t have to,” Otabek said looking stiff and uncomfortable, but Yuri was too busy trying to place where he’s seen brother number four before.

“No I do,” he said trying to think. “It would be weird if I didn’t right?”

Otabek hesitated but then shrugged and Yuri clapped in recognition the noise startling Otabek into a strange hop that Yuri lost no time in laughing at.

“Your brother’s on the national football team?” Yuri said as it finally clicked.

“He is.”

After lunch Yuri put his muscles to good use and dragged his suitcase up three flights.

Otabek’s room had an en suite and a view of the stables. It was spacious with lavish maroon furnishings and Yuri snorted at the elaborate golden canopy over the bed.

“Azad isn’t the only one on the team,” Otabek said as if it hadn’t been ten minutes between now and the initial query.

“Oh?” Yuri said as he riffled through his luggage.

“My eldest brother Nurlan is too.”

“Huh, alphas through and through,” he said distractedly.

“Erasyl and Nurasyl model for Alpura,” Otabek said. Yuri froze, slowly turning to look at Otabek, there was a smell of anxiety coming from him that Yuri wasn’t used to.

“Ok…” he said, carefully getting up and walking over to Otabek and lightly tracing patterns with his thumb on his forearm.

“My other two brothers work for Alpura too,” Otabek said watching Yuri’s hand on his arm.

Yuri was starting to feel alarmed at the amount that Otabek was talking.

“I wanted to let you know before you meet them. And my paren-”

“Alright bitches.”

Yuri jumped back from Otabek as the door whipped open.

“Oooo snogging?” Erasyl said as he slinked in, Nurasyl at his heals followed by Azad and two others who Yuri still didn’t know the names of.

Otabek kept a respectable distance, much to Yuri’s amusement as people piled on the bed (Otabek looked pained) and took the remaining chairs. Otabek walked over to where Azad was lounging and pushed the back of the chair forward so as to oust him from it. Azad hanged on for dear life and the brothers picked sides yelling and egging the two on. Azad finally said that his abs weren’t built for this (which Yuri privately thought was a lie – he’s a footballer after all) but when Otabek offered Yuri the chair he didn’t hesitate to sashay over to it and curl up as a cat slinked into the room and onto his lap.

“Man it’s true what they say about animals liking omegas better.”

Yuri scowled.

“Why are you all here?” Otabek asked.

“Gotta plan,” one of the unknown brothers said “and don’t you dare tell Serik,” he said pointing an accusing finger at Otabek.

“Otabek hates surprising people,” Nurasyl stage-whispered while winking at Yuri.

“You do?”

Otabek was sat on the floor in front of his chair and the place where his head rested on Yuri’s knee felt comfortably warm. Yuri brushed a hand through Otabek’s hair as he looked up at Yuri.

Yuri could see it, how it might make Otabek uncomfortable to keep secrets.

The whole day had been strange Yuri thought as he finally had a chance to hop in the shower that night. He’s tired – no exhausted. How had Otabek grown up with so many people always yakking? Maybe that’s why Otabek only ever spoke when he had something important to say; his words soft and straightforward his intentions clear and true. Yuri ran his hands through his hair and across his chest scraping away invisible grime. The soap was all lavender, a scent that some alphas used to be calming. Something about the way it mixed with their pheromones. It’s not a scent that any of Otabek’s brothers wore but Otabek did. Yuri wonders now if Otabek had picked it out himself or if his mother had matched it to his personality and bought it for him. Either way Yuri felt himself relaxing into the warmth around him.

Finally he turned the water off and dried himself off. Imagining Otabek growing up here was weird; it didn’t fit him. Yes Otabek was a badass. But he was kind and quiet and – Yuri’s heart sunk – so very atypical for an alpha. It’s part of why Yuri liked him so much, felt so comfortable around him, felt like they were meant to be friends _best friends_. He stared at himself in the mirror and felt a deep pang in his chest for how hard it must’ve been growing up in a family so very uh… loud. Yuri closed his eyes thinking of his grandfather, of growing up just the two of them with almost no money even though his mother had been rich and famous. This house was like nothing he’d ever seen. It all kind of makes him overwhelmed and Yuri did not do overwhelmed. Predictably the emotion quickly turned into anger as he rubbed at his hair furiously with the towel. It would’ve been nice to have a sibling he thought before scowling harder and reminding himself that grandfather was everything and that it was ridiculous to want a bigger family because he and grandfather didn’t need anyone else anyway they were definitely enough.

Seething and annoyed with his treacherous brain Yuri flung the door open onto the bedroom. Otabek was standing by his bookshelf hand pulling down a book as he turned. Yuri’s hair, while somewhat dry was still hanging around his face and dripping onto his bare chest. He’d forgotten clothes in the room and the towel slung around his hips was catching the water droplets as they traveled down his back and chest. Otabek swallowed hard, his wide eyes floating down and back up.

“You…” Otabek said. He cleared his throat.

“Yeah I’m naked, well mostly,” Yuri said waving a hand airily. Otabek was looking somewhere under Yuri’s chin, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Yuri looked down, sure that he’d see some glaring blemish or something stuck on him but there’s nothing there. When he looked up Otabek had turned away. Yuri went over to his suitcase. “Shower’s all yours,” he offered not at all worried by Otabek’s silence. The door to the bathroom clicked behind Otabek and Yuri continued to dry his hair. He’d already settled in bed when Otabek came back out a half hour later flushed pink and dressed in sweatpants and a tank top. It’s strange that Yuri hadn’t really noticed before but Otabek had really nice arms. His veins stuck out slightly as he moved the covers to get in alongside Yuri. Yuri never thought he’d find veins this interesting but he’s wondering how he can get Otabek to lift something for him just so that he can see his muscles bulge and ripple. Yuri scooted over a little. What the hell had he just been thinking? Idiot. Yuri turned towards Otabek and after turning off the bedside lamp Otabek turned to face him as well.

“Hey,” Yuri murmured.

“Hey,” Otabek breathed back.

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“You haven’t been scared off?”

Yuri was about to laugh when he noted the serious set in Otabek’s brows. He pushed a finger between them insistently.

“I can handle alphas.”

Otabek didn’t seem appeased and Yuri huffed. “Your brothers aren’t like JJ,” he added.

That Otabek understood and he relaxed.

“They’re kind of loud but they seem cool.”

Otabek nodded. “They’re just really protective, I think that’s why they kept popping in all day.”

“Is there something else you want to tell me?” Yuri said thinking back to the weirdness of his brothers’ reactions. “Do you like… I don’t know not normally date models or something?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Your brothers said some weird shit.”

Otabek tensed. “What did they say to you?”

“Nothing bad,” Yuri hurried to say, unsure what Otabek was freaking out about. “Just like how maybe I’m not what your parents are expecting.”

“Oh.” Otabek relaxed, scooting down to snuggle into the blankets. It was pretty cute. “No uh all my brothers date alphas.”

“What?” a startled laugh escaped him. “Is your family a cult?”

Otabek shook his head vigorously. “It’s weird.”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “If all your brothers are attracted to alphas then that’s not their fault. You can’t help who you like.” It wasn’t common for alphas to be attracted to alphas, but it wasn’t unheard of either. Yuri had a few friends who liked specifically one gender and one “type” of second gender. Like only male omegas. But sexuality got pretty complicated across so many different gender combinations. “So you’ve only dated alphas before,” Yuri deduced.

Otabek shook his head frantically. “I like… I’m attracted to omegas too,” he said quietly.

Yuri wasn’t sure but maybe being so different from his brothers actually bothered him. Yuri scooted into his space, one hand curling into his shirt.

“Then this is as good a way as any for them to get used to it,” he whispered. Otabek looked puzzled and Yuri laughed quietly. “I mean me being here as your ‘boyfriend’” he used air quotes with his free hand, “should let them know that omegas are on the table for you.”

“Yeah.”

Yuri squeezed Otabek’s shirt again and relaxed into the sheets as Otabek wrapped a hesitant arm around him. Yuri tilted his head down into Otabek’s neck and just let himself breathe. Sleep came and went like a bird fluttering on the breeze before a storm hurled it off course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dat t-shirt tho.... was inspired by all of the hilarious Future Mrs. Otabek Altin type shirts. I thought this might work as the omega-verse equivalent :X
> 
> Otabek's brothers from oldest to youngest:  
> 1) Nurlan   
> 2) Serik   
> 3) Aybek   
> 4) Azad  
> 5&6) Erasyl & Nurasyl


	3. Tuesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yasss I'm posting early!!! MWAHAHAHA I hope you enjoy the next installment. Featuring whiskey and tiger jammies just like real life in fact.

“Rise and shine!”

Yuri screamed into his pillow at the loud voice.

“Get your pants on Otabek no one wants to see your giant shlong-”

The bed dipped so fast before bouncing up again that Yuri’s hair flipped into his mouth. He spat it out as he heard the door slam open. The rest of whichever twin’s voice cut off abruptly.

“Baby brother!” came a laugh. Yuri peeked up from under the blankets with a sense of déjà vu. It was as if the twins were channeling Victor. Otabek was looking harassed as the other two rough housed him into the room. Nurasyl looked over at Yuri and grinned widely. Yuri stuck his tongue out at him.

“You’re a riot,” Nurasyl said as Otabek and Erasyl shuffled into the room looking disheveled but happy. Yuri found himself staring at the smile on Otabek’s face, relaxed and unguarded and – well yeah it was a good look on him.

“So what’s on the agenda,” Yuri said flinging the blankets aside to reveal his tiger jammies. They were collared with large buttons on the short sleeve and some fun shorts that matched.

“Mom and dad just got back from their trip.”

Otabek hummed and Yuri continued to try and force himself out of bed.

“They want to go out to brunch in an hour.”

“Brunch?” Yuri said as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Otabek did a double take (weird) before turning back to his brothers.

“What time?” Otabek asked.

“11:00. We’ll leave at 10:30.”

After the twins left Yuri meandered to the bathroom and started pulling the knots out of his hair. Really how could it get that tangled in only one night. He pulled out some ghost oil and ran it through, there much smoother. It was as he was running the brush through again that he noticed in the mirror Otabek fidgeting in the doorway.

“Jesus,” he said as he turned.

Otabek startled wide eyes staring at Yuri.

“Did you have to pee?”

Otabek gaped like a fish before shaking his head and slowly entering. Yuri frowned but then Otabek was grabbing his toothbrush. There was something very mechanical in how he was shuffling around Yuri. Choosing to ignore this frankly odd behavior he started braiding his hair. By the time he’d finished Otabek had wandered off again. Yuri stared at his clothes as his anger, always ready to boil over, started simmering. He felt strangely nervous, of course meeting Otabek’s parents was slightly more important than meeting the pack of hellions; Yuri didn’t want to mess it up. It was crucial that he make a good impression and let them know that Otabek would be ok, and that he was with someone just as capable as any alpha. He went for something a little more conservative on the clothing front, not wanting to give them any excuse to think of him as a hoe model. Hoe… what a stupid word. Anyways back to those hella parent-impressing khaki’s.

Brunch was in what seemed to be a teashop for the affluent and famous.

“Where were your parents?” he asked Otabek as they sat down – his parents hadn’t arrived yet.

“Business trip. They uh… they own Alpura.” Yuri couldn’t process this without coffee. Own. Alpura. Multibillion-dollar sports endorser brand. The national team used their water bottles and their bags and- then Otabek’s parents were there and Yuri completely understood. The cut of Mr. Altin’s suit was exquisite and Otabek’s mother looked kind and regal as she clasped Yuri’s hand, eyes wide as she no doubt processed the fact that her last son was dating an omega. Yuri had worried that Otabek had been wrong and that his parents would care, but they seemed rather pleased and more normal than the bro pack. Most of the conversation was about the wedding. Serik and his fiancé it turned out wouldn’t be arriving until Thursday. And the wedding was going to be held behind the estate, fully catered and everything _“it’s tradition”_ Otabek had whispered to him.

Yuri learned that all of the brothers were married except for the twins, both of whom were in “serious” relationships. At least that’s what Yuri gathered from the way Otabek’s father was urging them to propose to their respective partners AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Yuri found himself enjoying the conversation more and more as he inhaled coffee and Otabek’s parents asked pointed questions of the others. He was smirking so hard at their discomfort that his face was hurting.

“Now Yuri,” Otabek’s mother said to him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve heard so much about you.” Her smile was carefree and pleased. Yuri wasn’t sure what was more surprising: that Otabek had spoken enough to validate that statement or that Otabek had mentioned him at all. Yuri, trying valiantly not to accidently fuck it all up by cursing and being himself, so he responded with “it’s really nice to finally meet you.”

She smiled even wider and Yuri felt his back go a little straighter. See? He didn’t even need to lie.

“We of course recognized you from your work,” she said giving him an approving nod. He wasn’t sure what to say to that so he turned to Otabek.

“Yuri is extremely committed,” Otabek said quietly. Yuri knew that he meant to his work, but he wondered if Otabek implied another kind of commitment on purpose. Either way his mother seemed to buy it. And in a way it was true. Yuri was fucking committed to Otabek. Committed to showing Otabek’s family that he would take care of Otabek, even if they weren’t dating that much was true too.

They arrived back shortly after two.

“Want to hit the gym?” Otabek asked. Yuri did. Otabek knew that Lilia was expecting confirmation that Yuri was sticking to her prescribed exercise plan for him.

When they got down to the gym (yes there was a gym in the basement) a brother was already on a treadmill.

“Hey,” he breathed out.

“Nurlan,” Otabek said raising a hand in greeting. Nurlan, eldest brother Yuri reminded himself. As he watched Otabek go over to the weights section, Yuri remembered haphazardly his consideration of how Otabek’s arms might look- he shook his head to dislodge that particular memory.

“Do you need help stretching?” Yuri asked.

Otabek shrugged and Yuri got to see first hand how extremely inflexible Otabek was. He was about to point it out when he realized that as Otabek’s boyfriend he would’ve already known this not only because they would’ve worked out together but also because they would’ve bone-

“Ow.”

“Sorry,” Yuri said vaulting back from where he’d been pushing Otabek just a little too far forward. Nurlan’s treadmill was facing them and in a valiant effort to be “the boyfriend that Otabek deserved” Yuri asked coyly if Otabek wanted to help him stretch too. It was the gross sort of thing that Victor might ask of the Pig, and Yuri felt slightly foolish which was stupid because they were FAKE DATING so it’s not like he was actually trying to seduce Otabek anyway. Otabek, completely unruffled not even noticing what Yuri was doing merely agreed. Yuri stuck his leg up straight behind himself primly. Otabek seemed at a complete loss.

“Would you hold it for me?” Otabek blinked once before putting his hands on Yuri’s shin. “You can push harder,” Yuri murmured completely aware of the double entendre. He looked behind him and was pleased to see that Otabek seemed to be breathing a little harder through his embarrassment. Good, Nurlan at least would see them as a legitimate couple. As they finished stretching Yuri wondered at whether they could just trust locker room dynamics to feed their story. If they showed half the people their coupley side then groupthink would do the rest. Hell they might not even have to drunkenly makeout after the wedding if they played their cards right.

And then there was always the media.

“Can I take a picture of us?” Yuri asked as they finished up their workouts, Nurlan having run off to his wife long before.

“Ok.”

“Come closer,” Yuri said as Otabek hovered over his shoulder. Yuri tilted the screen a touch and at the last second turned slightly to look up at Otabek.

“What was that?” Otabek said as Yuri inspected the photo. It seemed strangely soft for him, but it was good. Not overtly coupley. Their fans were always speculating about them being together. It was a well-known fact though that they were best friends and by now Yuri assumed that most people didn’t actually think there was a chance of them secretly dating. They would’ve let people in on it by now if they were.

But maybe this photo would crop up some of the old rumors, which might help their cause. After meeting Otabek’s parents he really didn’t want to under-deliver on his promise to be a believable boyfriend.

“Just wanted a good photo. Ok if I post it?”

Otabek hesitated but then nodded. “Yeah you can.”

Yuri felt a strange shiver go down his spine. Otabek was still standing behind him and looking over his shoulder at the photo. And Yuri wanted to lean back into him, but that wasn’t really something they did… hug like that.

“Are you going to post it?”

Yuri jumped, almost knocking Otabek’s chin before hastily turning around to apologize. His hip brushed against Otabek and Yuri could see Otabek suck in a breath. They were altogether too close.

Otabek’s eyes flicked down to Yuri’s mouth- what no that couldn’t be right. But a strange cloud seemed to settle over them, warm and affirming and shit maybe Otabek had looked down at his mouth which meant only one thing. Yuri felt himself turning his face up to get a better look wondering what it might feel like to _actually_ kiss Otabek and not for the sake of this ruse.

And then Otabek stepped back. “We should shower.”

For one bizarre moment Yuri thought he meant _together_ but then the spell was broken and Yuri landed back in reality hard.

“Yeah, yeah you’re right I’ll be up in a minute after I post the photo.”

Yuri stood there evening out his breathing and wondering what the fuck had just happened before posting the photo and going up to the room.

Yuri, who usually didn’t like being in a room full of people was thankful for the large crowd in the dining room that night. Aybek, brother number three, had brought his husband Leo and Azad’s husband Guang Hong was also joining them for the evening. It allowed Yuri to forget the weirdness of their gym selfie and ignore the strange clinking in his chest.

“Are they all married to footballers?” he asked as he and Otabek grabbed food.

Otabek seemed to think it through. “Not all of them.”

Yuri rolled his eyes. Nothing would surprise him at this point. After dinner most of the brothers dispersed either going back home or up to their rooms still in the house.

“Gotta go pick the girlfriend up at the airport,” Erasyl had said in explanation, Otabek’s mother excusing herself to bed and finally Otabek, Nurasyl and Yuri being invited into Mr. Altin’s lounge for a history lesson on the many fine methods of making whiskey.

Yuri found this fascinating. Ok maybe it’s because he was slightly drunk. But still this was good information to have. Definitely could come up at a trivia night.

“Yura,” Otabek said quietly. Yuri looked up to see Otabek’s father putting the whiskey away. “Ready to head up?”

Yuri nodded slowly from his perch on the end of the couch. Otabek took his glass and then held his hand out to him. Yuri eyed it before letting himself be pulled up.

Otabek didn’t let go of his hand as they bid Mr. Altin goodnight. And Yuri felt something warm and pleasant flooding through him as he walked beside Otabek down the hall. He smelled of lavender as always and there was something like mist hiding underneath.

“Everything ok?” Otabek asked.

Yuri grinned. “Yes sir.”

Otabek stopped abruptly.

“What?” Yuri said as he snapped back to look at Otabek.

Otabek quickly shook his head and started walking again. Yuri scrutinized him.

“Hmm?” he said drumming his fingers across his lips with his free hand, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Otabek was looking as stoic as ever but Yuri wasn’t fooled. “That’s a thing for you is it?”

Otabek didn’t answer which almost always counted as confirmation from Otabek.

Yuri grabbed Otabek’s other hand outside the door gleefully. “You like when people call you sir,” he said maniacally.

“Yuri….”

His embarrassment only fueled Yuri more though. This was hilarious, too good to pass up. “How very kinky of you.”

At Otabek’s pleading look Yuri just smiled wider. Straight-laced Otabek Altin had a kink. Yes-sirry. Yuri giggled at his own joke.

“How drunk are you?”

But Yuri waved him off, accidentally hitting Otabek in the chest lightly. Otabek opened the door and Yuri stripped off his shirt.

“Don’t change the subject.” He grabbed his nightshirt and buttoned it up, back to Otabek as he bent over to grab his pajama bottoms. “Have you done it before with your partners?” Yuri asked as he dropped his pants. Otabek was silent for far too long. When Yuri finished changing he turned around to reprimand Otabek when he smelled it. Something like arousal mixed with panic.

“Woah just remembering is making you…” Yuri, looked down almost surprised by the slight bulge in Otabek’s pants. “Oh.”

Otabek fled to the bathroom and Yuri felt himself sway with his inebriation, which he was trying to will away so as to figure out if Otabek was ok.

He once again got into bed first. But unlike last night he felt a strange bitterness that Otabek had had raunchy sex with other people _and_ had chubbed up thinking about it.

Yuri knew that he was being ridiculous. 1) He wasn’t actually dating Otabek so he had no reason to be jealous, 2) OF COURSE Otabek had had sex, and 3) Yuri really couldn’t be mad because he was the one who had brought up the damn idea of Otabek and his previous partners in the first place.

Yuri recalled then what happened in the gym and realized that he was even more of an idiot. Otabek probably hadn’t been looking at Yuri’s mouth at all. Yuri was just being a weirdly crazy best friend.

He mentally checked his calendar. His heat wouldn’t hit for another two months so he couldn’t blame hormones. What the fuck was wrong with him getting all bothered because his best friend didn’t want to make out with him and his best friend had exes.

Christ what had been in that whiskey.


	4. Wednesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys! chapter 4 is here!!!!!   
> I didn't get to edit so much on this chapter, but hopefully it's acceptable :)

Yuri deserved the slight hangover. What he did not deserve was Otabek asking softly if he was ok, bringing him water and ibuprofen even though it really wasn’t that bad and rubbing his back gently. Yuri calmed at the touch regardless and tried to reassure Otabek that he was fine even if it was six in the morning and they had only woken up because a rather large bird had been screeching outside the window.

“Hey!”

Yuri groaned at the loud voice. It was too damn early, who barged in at six in the morning anyway. He heard Otabek going to chastise whichever brother had turned up.

“What’s up?” Yuri asked when Otabek closed the door quietly and returned to the bed.

“The guys are going to play a pickup match in the backyard.”

Yuri eyed him dubiously as he got back under the covers. “Aren’t you going too?”

“We don’t have to,” Otabek said. Yuri rolled his eyes.

“Your family will remember me as the boring boyfriend who kept Otabek locked up in his room when he could’ve been having quality time with his family.”

“You could never be boring.”

Yuri kicked him lightly, but grinned all the same. “Go on, I’ll be down soon.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, now get.”

Yuri waited till Otabek left to get out of bed and stretch. Today was a new day. He didn’t need to think about how he’d wanted to kiss his best friend yesterday. Obviously he’d been high on like alpha gym pheromones or something. And then that whiskey – that no good very stupid whiskey which Yuri Plisetsky swore he would never go near again.

After scrubbing himself raw, pulling on his favorite leopard print running tights with his black Charge shorts over and a black tee he began to braid his hair. Two French braid on the sides, the top part flat before he whipped it all up into a ponytail. He stopped by the secondary kitchen and found Aybek’s husband leaning against the counter humming to himself and clutching a mug of coffee.

“Hey, Yuri right?”

Yuri nodded. “You play for Team USA?”

“Yeah,” Leo said pocketing his phone. “You want a travel mug to take out?”

“Definitely.”

“So how long have you and Otabek been dating?”

Yuri froze, but Leo’s back was to him, groping in a cabinet.

Had Otabek already given his family a timeframe? No surely he would’ve told Yuri.

“It kind of came on gradually,” Yuri invented forcing himself to look straight into Leo’s eyes. Leo seemed to buy it and they headed outside, Yuri feeling proud that he hadn’t let himself get flustered.

“Babe,” Aybek yelled as Leo jogged over.

Yuri stopped at the edge of the field though when he saw a head of red hair.

“MILA?”

“Holy fuck!” Mila said as she turned to tackle him to the ground.

Yuri’s coffee rolled away as he let himself fall.

“What’re you doing here,” Yuri said as he looked up at Mila who was slowly getting off of him.

“I’m here with Erasyl,” she said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Yuri gaped.

“You’re secret boyfriend that you’ve never let me meet is Otabek’s BROTHER?”

“I didn’t want to make things weird.” She was giving him a sheepish look and Yuri scooted closer and dropped his voice.

“Why would it be weird?”

“Just you know, if we broke up or something?”

“Well that’s not going to happen anytime soon,” Yuri said pointedly recalling Mr. Altin telling his sons to propose and their frantic protests and yet agreements.

“No it’s not,” she said grinning. It was then that Yuri realized how totally fucked he could be.

“Look Otabek and I are dating here please don’t fucking tell anyone that we’re not actually dating,” he hissed.

Mila looked at him confused and Yuri grabbed her hands. “Please Mila I’ll explain first chance we get I promise.”

She hesitated but nodded.

“You can’t even tell Erasyl.”

“I’ll wait for your explanation Yuri but-”

“I know just, it’s for Otabek,” he said pleadingly.

“Fine,” she sighed. Maybe he should’ve been offended that she agreed more easily when it was Otabek’s honor on the line and not Yuri’s.

“Are you going to tell us what the hell is going on?” came a loud voice. They jumped apart to see seven strong alphas looking like they were posing for a catalogue. Leo and Aybek were lolling against each other, Nurlan looking to the sky as he stretched his shoulders. Otabek and Erasyl looking confused- Yuri jumped out of his imagination which had been on the verge of inventing a cameraman and an article title.

“Erasyl,” Mila said as she skipped over and kissed him on the cheek, “Yuri and I have done shows together before.” Erasyl’s arm wrapped around her waist easily and she leaned into him. Yuri smiled. Mila deserved to be happy and Erasyl seemed like a good guy.

“I didn’t know Yuri did lingerie,” Erasyl said frowning. It was a fair point, Mila walked for Russia’s most sensual lingerie brands and Yuri walked almost exclusively for Charge now.

“I started in lingerie,” Yuri said shrugging. It had been dark times indeed. He didn’t like it, it was what his mother did not him. Nurasyl called out to Erasyl and he and Mila wandered off. “So what-” Otabek was looking at him almost-blankly, but Yuri could tell that he was confused. “What?”

“I didn’t know you did lingerie.”

Yuri scowled. “Not on purpose.”

Otabek nodded at him and didn’t ask further.

Yuri had wondered why none of Otabek’s family members had questioned Otabek and Yuri’s decision to keep their “relationship” a secret. But maybe they just assumed that Otabek being Otabek had wanted to keep it private from public view. Actually that sounded like something Otabek would do. Anyways he just needed to focus on how he would convince Mila not to tell Erasyl.

They played flag football. Not exactly the kind of “football” that Yuri had been expecting. At one point Otabek had lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat off his brow and Yuri had imagined dropping to his knees and licking the sweat off of the most glorious six-pack that he had ever- wow he must be dehydrated.

It was a long ass game, but he took particular glee in tackling Nurlan to the ground and then preening into a pirouette which led to Mila joining him in a small and well-executed dance number mid-game complete with a lift that they’d one time seen on TV and drunkenly practiced.

He hadn’t had this much fun in a while, lungs hurting from laughing so hard. He looked up to find Otabek and was faced with Otabek snapping a photo of him on his phone.

“For your fitness fans?” he asked.

Yuri beamed and ran over, adrenaline coursing through him as he jumped into Otabek’s arms, legs wrapping around his waist as Otabek’s free arm came to hold him in place.

“Soooooo thoughtful,” Yuri crooned dramatically, “thinking of my fans.” Otabek laughed and Yuri went slack jawed. He should’ve gotten a picture of that. That amazing smile that he’d never actually seen before; there had been teeth. But a picture couldn’t have captured the trill of laughter. Yuri slowly loosened his legs and Otabek let him down still smiling at him.

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yeah,” Yuri said, heart pounding.

Otabek turned away tapping on his phone.

Yuri realized then that Otabek was posting the photo on his account. He looked over and saw Aybek giving him a hard thoughtful look. He hurried after Otabek.

“Otabek?”

“Yeah?”

“We might have a problem, Mila knows….”

Otabek stared for a few seconds before he seemed to understand. He squared his shoulders before seeming to come to some decision.

“Let me talk to her,” Otabek said firmly.

“What? Do you even know her?”

“Yes,” Otabek said simply.

Yuri didn’t think this would work but he trusted Otabek’s judgment. “Ok.”

Otabek hung back, easily asking Mila for a word.

“What are we partner swapping now?” Erasyl joked.

“Apparently,” Yuri said as he sidled up to him, hoping to distract from Mila and Otabek.

“I’ve never been with an omega,” he said waggling his eyebrows and walking with Yuri towards the house.

“You’re revolting,” Yuri said.

“And yet still you want to leave Otabek for me, his own brother,” Erasyl wailed.

Yuri snorted and Erasyl teased him relentlessly for it.

Before he knew it Otabek was slipping next to him and giving him a curt nod.

“Ok?” Yuri asked. Otabek merely put his hand on Yuri’s shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze.

The very late breakfast that followed was madness. Too many hangry dirty alpha’s grabbing bacon and eggs and sausages from each other’s plates. Yuri thought grumpily about how if Katsudon had been here he would’ve been a good omega and answered the silent kitchen call to help prepare food, a feat which Otabek’s mother seemed to take on single-handedly.

He felt a hand at his hip and looked up to see Otabek staring at him and silently checking if he was ok. Yuri wasn’t used to the closeness but he liked the feel of Otabek’s thumb brushing against his hip, his other side pressed firmly against Yuri.

“Sorry, just thinking about how stupid Katsudon would’ve helped prep the food.”

Otabek wasn’t following.

“You know like a _good_ omega,” Yuri scoffed.

“You are a good omega,” Otabek said seriously. Yuri broke into a slow grin.

“Is that right Mr. alpha?”

If Otabek was confused he didn’t show it. Maybe he had expected Yuri, acting as his fake boyfriend, to play along. “A very good omega,” Otabek said quietly and Yuri felt it go straight south.

Holy shit. What. Otabek squeezed his hip before letting him go and turning to uncharacteristically swipe a pancake off Azad’s plate. Yuri rotated slowly, eyes locking with an equally surprised Mila.

“Mila?” he said as he approached her. She was obviously looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was within earshot.

“Did I just see something?” she asked after ascertaining that the coast was clear.

“I have no fucking idea.”

“Ok just breathe, we’re going shopping later.”

Yuri knew what that meant.

“You’re doing what?” Otabek asked in confusion as Yuri hastily packed his black mini fashion backpack.

“Mila and I are going shopping because she needs to stop by a jewelers.”

No male alpha in his right mind would want to tag along to look at high-end jewelry. It was like asking to have marriage brought up so both Erasyl and Otabek waved them off looking morose and just a little bit stressed.

They did not go to any such jewelers, but instead ensconced themselves in a ritzy coffee shop.

“How did you get Erasyl to lend you his car?” Yuri asked as they settled in.

“Told him that I was picking something up _for us_ too.” She gave him a meaningful look and Yuri shook his head at her.

“I don’t need to know about your sex life. And so great now we have to go get lingerie today too.”

“Maybe you could buy some to show off for Otabek,” she said raising her perfectly manicured brows and taking a small sip of coffee.

Yuri’s eyes grew to saucer size.

“That’s why we’re here right?” she continued.

“What?”

She looked a little miffed. “You like Otabek?” it was half a question and half not.

“Of course I don’t like-” Yuri stopped. _You don’t want to kiss your best friend and you definitely don’t imagine licking their abs._ Did he like Otabek? Oh my god. “Do I?” he said in horror.

“I don't know do you?”

“Oh my god Mila why would you do this to me?” he put his head in his hands.

“I thought you knew, I thought that’s what you wanted to talk about, the possibility that Otabek might like you _back_ ,” she said feeding off his nervous energy and gaining in hysterics.

Yuri’s brain short-circuited.

“Like… me… back?”

They stared at each other.

“I think he does,” Mila said and Yuri’s head exploded.

The lingerie shop was one that Mila had looked up on her phone. As they entered a woman in a tight black dress approached them and looked on approvingly.

“Shall I assist you and your boyfriend?” she asked easily.

Mila grinned and told her that that would be lovely. Yuri seethed. Of fucking course they would assume that Mila was his alpha. It was actually the least common pairing. What with only ten percent of the population being alphas and one percent of the population being omegas and only seven percent of that being male omegas and all of the stereotypes and media influences. But it did still happen sometimes, obviously and Mila was the kind of gorgeous and confident alpha that had people falling at her feet to do her bidding. Well so did Yuri before he revealed his affinity for swear words and creative threats about ways to emasculate stupid alpha dicks.

“And what about you?” the woman said after Mila had picked out several items. Yuri had opened his mouth to tell her to fuck right off but Mila cut across smoothly acting the part of a woman in charge.

“Something black and lacy I think.”

Yuri had purchased the stupid bodysuit just to get out of there faster. Sure he looked fucking hotter than hell in it, but he wasn’t actually getting any on this trip. Which brought up another issue. He was starting to feel a little… pent up.

“Just think, if something happens with Otabek now you’re prepared.”

Yuri grit his teeth. “Spoken like someone who has an easy lay waiting for them back at the castle.”

Mila laughed loudly and whipped up the lane.

Otabek wasn’t in the room when Yuri got back which was just as well because he needed to hide his bag from Chateau d’Origine, grimly he noticed a small note next to a perfume sample. _“This scent has been chosen by your attendant to complement your natural pheromones. We hope that you and your alpha will enjoy your time together.”_ Yuri almost puked all over the bodysuit. It sounded like he had just signed himself up for a brothel. He was about to storm over to Mila to ask her why the fuck she’d brought him to a place where the attendants literally sniffed out omegas without them noticing to try and enhance their drug-like pheromones. But then he deflated. Mila was an alpha, they didn’t get this kind of treatment, hell she probably didn’t even know. Well no she worked for good brands, ones that were less chauvinistic than some of the others so she knew what was out there. But there was no way she could’ve known from a quick internet search that this shop had been one of _those_ places.

Yuri kept the garment in its tissue paper and buried it at the base of his suitcase.

“Did everyone already eat?” Yuri asked when he finally found Otabek in the second kitchen. It was half-past seven and the house seemed extremely quiet.

“People are foraging.”

“Have you eaten?”

“I wanted to see if you’d had dinner yet.”

“I haven’t,” Yuri said.

“I could cook?”

Otabek was going to cook for him.

“Ok, I can uh I can help.”

“Did you get anything?”

Yuri froze heart beating wildly before remembering that Otabek didn’t know that they’d gone anywhere other than to a jewelers. Yuri shook his head.

Dinner turned out to be lamb with seasoned brussel sprouts and cooked carrots. After some very angry hacking of carrots on Yuri’s part Otabek had suggest that maybe he’d like to make the salad.

“I never said I could cook,” he griped. Stupid omega, stupid inability to cook.

“You never cooked growing up?”

Yuri shook his head. “Grandpa always cooks I- I did the cleaning and got groceries.”

“Our parents made us help them cook. We each had a day of the week to assist in the kitchen.”

“That sounds nice,” Yuri said wistfully and then realizing how it sounded, “I’m not jealous.”

Otabek looked up from where he was seasoning the meat.

“Yuri….”

“I just realized that I forgot something upstairs,” he hadn’t, “I’ll just go grab it quick,” lies.

He fled so fast that Otabek’s voice was lost on him. Otabek had things on the stove, he couldn’t go after Yuri, which was good because Yuri was feeling angry for no fucking reason. Here he was with this stupid big family in the house that Otabek had grown up in and now that he’d realized how he felt he was panicking. He squared his shoulders and turned right the fuck around. Yuri Plisetsky didn’t accept defeat. Yuri fought tooth and nail. In spite of his mom practically telling him that she’d never wanted kids. But Yuri had figured it out. The media got wind that she was pregnant by who-the-fuck-knew and the only thing worse for her career than being a sex icon with a kid was being an omega who’d had an abortion. He and his grandfather didn’t talk about it. Ever.

He missed his grandfather fiercely in that moment and rapidly facetimed him.

“Yurochka?”

“Hi,” he said quickly fixing his hair.

They only talked for ten minutes but it was enough for him to calm down.

Back in the kitchen Otabek was finishing up the carrots. He didn’t ask Yuri about what happened earlier, just asked him if he wanted more as he plated the food.

“No thank you,” Yuri said feeling slightly ashamed. Otabek brushed his knuckles across Yuri’s back as he passed and Yuri forced himself not to shudder at how comforting it was.

“Want to watch something?”

“Sure.”

The house had a mini theater (because why the fuck not) and Yuri found himself enjoying the fact that Otabek had given him an out. They could just be together and not talk which was what Yuri desperately needed.

As they got into bed Yuri realized how exhausting the day had been. He was jostling around worried that he’d wake Otabek who seemed to be fast asleep when he felt an arm crawl over his stomach pulling his back flush against Otabek’s front.

“Otabek?” he called softly.

“Yura,” Otabek breathed across his neck softly. Yuri felt gooseprickles and shivered involuntarily to which Otabek hummed. And then Otabek’s breath was evening out and Yuri realized that Otabek had probably been half asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to anyone reading this fic-aroo!


	5. Thursday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday friends!!  
> I will unfortunately not be able to make my update next week BUT we'll be back on schedule the week after.

Yuri had several dreams concerning Otabek and in each one Yuri demonstrated his flexibility and stamina beautifully. He woke up in bliss before the panic hit. Something was throbbing painfully between his legs. Fuck fuck fuck. He snapped his eyes open wide-awake for the first time since they’d arrived and thought about how Otabek’s brothers had a tendency to not knock. If they came in now there would be no way to explain this away. Of course it would definitely support their story. Shit. He started to get up before realizing that there was a vice-like grip around his middle and hot breath on his neck. As he halted his movements and slowly sank back into the bed something else caught his attention. His ass wasn’t pressing against Otabek’s hipbone like he’d assumed but something else. Something big. He whined low in this throat before shoving a fist into his mouth.

“Yuri?” Otabek mumbled sleepily.

Yuri didn’t know what to do so he shut his eyes, lowered his fist silently, and stayed there frozen and willing his erection away. The sheets shifted and Otabek’s arm tightened around him briefly before loosening once more. Through it all Yuri had felt Otabek’s dick brush against him and Yuri wanted to scream in pleasure at the idea that this beautiful creature was hard in bed with him. But Otabek was rolling away, sitting up, and Yuri forced himself not to peek behind him to watch as Otabek realized that he had a hard on. Silence filled the room and then “Yuri?”

Yuri feigned sleep and he heard Otabek exhale a shaky breath and a bitten off “shit” before he carefully extricated himself and went to the bathroom. It had worked, Yuri had avoided- “un.” Yuri’s thoughts cut out at the small grunt from the bathroom his dick twitching in interest. No, fuck no no no.

Otabek was getting himself off and Yuri felt like he was going to cry because it hurt to want to join him so badly and know that he couldn’t, even though Otabek was RIGHT THERE. How was he going to get out of this.

He heard the shower start and sighed in relief. That would drown out any other noises, Otabek must’ve realized that too. But Yuri still had his own problem. Was he fated to just wait until Otabek showered, changed and hopefully left without disturbing him? And what if the brothers came in? Yuri just wanted to yank his pants down and get it over with, and he probably could in under five strokes too, but then it’d be all over the sheets. Or he could cum in his pants and hide them until Otabek was gone, but Otabek would smell it in the room. Yuri blushed and realized that this was all becoming a moot point, because hell Otabek would smell just his basic arousal at this point. And that’s when he realized that there was only one way out of this with dignity (well some kind of dignity.)

As soon as the bathroom door opened Yuri stretched up and yawned like he’d just woken up.

“Morning.”

Otabek had a towel slung low around his hips, which Yuri hadn’t planned for but which had no bearing on his plan anyway, even if it was distracting as hell. He kept his eyes on Otabek’s face as he got up. Don’t check him out don’t do it don’t don’t don’t. Otabek looked down, noticing the bulge in Yuri’s pants and his eyes shot up to Yuri’s own. Yuri shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

“Morning wood, that’s what the shower’s for right?” he winked at Otabek as he passed. Otabek had remained frozen throughout the whole thing, but Yuri felt that he’d done well with his casual ruse considering that he’d wanted to climb Otabek like a tree.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed he stripped and flung himself into the shower. One, two, three and he splattered across the wall. It was thick and fruity and Yuri sighed in contentment before humming to himself. Easy as cake.

Otabek was gone by the time he emerged.

“Helllllooooo!” came a cheery voice from the door. Yuri, who had just pulled the towel up to dry his hair whipped it down over his crotch before the door flung open. Erasyl’s smile vanished.

“Fuck off,” Yuri yelled as he gave him the finger. The door slammed shut and Yuri smiled to himself.

Yuri: 1. Twins: 0

When he came down to the breakfast table it became apparent that everyone knew what had happened.

Mila was cackling with glee at the sight of him. Erasyl apologized quite seriously but Yuri waved him off. “I’ve always wanted to yell at someone first thing in the morning,” he said breezily as he grabbed a mug of coffee. Some of the other family members snickered.

As Yuri sat down on Mila’s other side he realized who was missing.

“You seen Otabek?”

Mila shook her head.

“I think he’s in the gym,” Mr. Altin said, “and if I didn’t know that both you and Erasyl were models and saw people changing all the time I’d be much more worried about this morning.”

Yuri grinned and excused himself to go find Otabek, but not before hearing Mila say “so how much did you see?” between giggles while Erasyl’s splutters echoed down the hall.

When Yuri got to the gym it was empty. Frowning he glanced out the windows but saw nothing.

He found himself wandering the halls, poking his head in doors before finally finding himself on a terrace. It was extremely beautiful out here, crisp and clean and- he spotted the door to the stables ajar. When Yuri squeezed inside he saw Otabek pressing his forehead to the forehead of a light brown horse.

“Miss me?” he whispered as he stroked her hair.

He could’ve been an equestrian model Yuri thought as he walked into the room. (Because even though he didn’t want to intrude on this moment, there was nothing creepier than just watching someone.)

“Yuri.”

“Going for a ride?”

“If you’d like.”

Yuri clutched his coffee cup. “I’d like.”

Otabek looked him up and down and for a moment Yuri thought that he was just boldly checking him out.

“Sneakers will be fine.” Right ‘attire’ Yuri thought. Idiot.

“I’ve never ridden before.”

“It’s ok, we’ll go slow.”

It was fortunate that Otabek’s back was turned because Yuri was blushing again. He was sure that he’d blushed more this week than in his entire life.

“This is Sasha,” Otabek said as he led the horse out. Yuri wasn’t sure what to do. “They can smell fear so you should be fine.”

“Did you just make a joke Altin?” Yuri said amused.

Otabek shrugged. It was quiet the way Otabek told Yuri about how to prep Sasha for their ride. Yuri hadn’t realized how much work it took but he liked cleaning out her hooves, brushing her down, putting on chaps, because why not – ‘you really don’t have to’ Otabek had said in amusement – and then letting Otabek help him up onto a two person saddle.

“You can lead another horse even if you’re not riding it, but I thought this might be easier considering you haven’t finished your coffee.”

Yuri just wanted Otabek to keep talking. He didn’t care about anything else right now. Otabek climbed up behind him and Yuri sucked in a breath when he thought Otabek was going to wrap his arms around Yuri’ss middle, but Otabek just took the reigns and led them down a wooded path.

It was beautiful as the light filtered through the trees, Sasha treading lightly as they went and Otabek staying silent and strong at his back.

Yuri felt at peace. Tranquil even.

Two hours later they went through the house Otabek’s hand finding it’s way to Yuri’s back and Yuri wondered if it could always be like this. He heard the front door open, and everything fell to shit.

Christophe Giacometti came striding through, followed by cries of “Serik!” and finally followed by The Devil and his Piggy invading Yuri’s paradise.

“Yurio wow!”

Yuri. Will. Kill. Him.

…

…

…

Victor was strangling him and Yuri hissed in protest. “Get off me you fucking bag of piss.”

“Such colorful language.”

Yuri could see Katsudon winning over most of a family that he wasn’t even marrying into the fatso. Yuuri was an actor like Victor, except Yuuri’d had his start at a stupid ass village theater. Victor had dragged Yuri there to watch their rendition of The Tempest and then promptly LEFT him waiting after the show because Victor was too busy sneaking into the back and assuring Piggy that he’d make him a star. Yuri had scoffed when he’d heard that Yuuri had been cast alongside Victor in a feature film but then he’d watched Occasional Fancy (no he did not love romantic comedies and watch them secretly when Nikolai went to work on Saturdays when he was younger) and been so floored by Yuuri’s performance that he’d grudgingly admitted (only to himself of course) that maybe the Pork Cutlet Bowl had a smidge of talent.

Finally Victor released him and Yuri bulleted over to Otabeks side so quickly that he wondered at Victor’s ability to track him.

“Yuri?” Otabek whispered. Yuri moved closer into his side and Otabeks arm circled around his waist protectively.

“He’s a monster,” Yuri spewed as Otabek followed his gaze.

“Otabek!” Victor said brightly. “How has it been having your adorable _boyfriend_ in your home?”

Even for Victor this was a bit much. Yuri wanted to spit fire but he felt Otabek’s hand gripping him just slightly too tight and Yuri wondered if Victor had hit a nerve with him too.

“My family gets along well with Yuri.”

Yuri felt himself calming down at the praise.

“Of course.” Victor smiled at them and when Yuuri came over Victor immediately started making out with him in the middle of the entrance hall.

Yuri hated him, he was doing it on purpose the fucking fucker. Throwing in Yuri’s face what he couldn’t have. Not that Victor knew of course. Even Yuri hadn’t realized how he’d felt.

“I want you to meet Serik,” Otabek said quietly and Yuri hurried to walk away from the grope-fest that was unfolding.

Yuri couldn’t focus as he talked to Christophe and Serik even as he congratulated them on their approaching union. The rest of the day was pure hell. Yuri had to pretend that he was ok. Ok with Victor tormenting him, ok with Victor watching him and Otabek like a hawk and ok with Mila’s knowing gaze every time Yuri leaned into Otabek’s touch. Yuri was only fucking human no matter how much tiger blood he pretended to have.

Finally FINALLY at around ten while everyone was clamoring about dessert in the kitchen Otabek grabbed hold of Yuri’s hand forcing him to hang back.

“Wha-” Yuri started but Otabek just put his fingers to his lips and Yuri fell silent, allowing Otabek to tug him down a side hallway and then hurried into a goddamn secret wall-painting passage.

“Thank fuck,” Yuri exhaled as Otabek pulled out his phone to light the way.

Otabek was shaking his head like he was trying to dislodge water as he led the way.

“Victor is worse than trash, he’s not sleeping in a room adjacent to ours is he?”

“Different wing.”

“I’ve never fully appreciated the idea of a house being big enough to have multiple wings.”

Otabek smiled at him and Yuri immediately felt the stress melt off his body.

“So which way to the magnificent golden bed chamber?”

They walked along a frankly creepy ass passage, which was so dark that Yuri literally had to hold onto the back of Otabek’s shirt to stay in the sphere from his phone light. Eventually they made it to a flight of stone steps (yes stone, worn in the middle from quite possibly centuries of treading) and up they went to their hall.

“Hey Otabek?”

“Hm?”

“How old is this house?”

“The estate’s been around through five generations.”

“That’s… a long time. So your family’s what?”

Otabek sighed. “Originally hydrocarbon scientists, now just Alpura models and athletes, we’re… a lot of things I guess.”

Yuri understood. A lot of old money from budding industries in Kazakhstan followed by a successful international sportswear business.

He pressed himself closer as they clambered out of what he’d assumed was a linen closet prior to this moment. He wondered vaguely how many other doors were masquerading as linen closets… oh and if there used to be a moat.

“Do you want me to turn the light off?” Otabek asked some ten minutes later when they were both in bed. Yuri didn’t hesitate to curl up close, choosing not to ask about why this was totally ok with both of them as Otabek moved his arm. Yuri laid his head on Otabek’s chest and exhaled.

“You can read if you want.”

Otabek continued reading his book, but the hand now circling Yuri’s shoulders found Yuri’s hair and on instinct Yuri hummed his approval. Otabek’s fingers became more bold at the affirmation and Yuri let his eyes close.

He hadn’t realized that he’d fallen asleep until Otabek jostled him slightly as he tried to shift down the bed out of his sitting position, book abandoned and light off.

“Sorry,” Otabek whispered, hand still stroking Yuri’s hair.

Yuri didn’t say anything, just moved back into Otabek’s orbit, nudging his head against his hand and letting his own arm drape over Otabek’s stomach. Otabek’s breath ticked minutely and Yuri squinted up at him in the dark.

“Is this ok?” he said, realizing that maybe Otabek wasn’t comfortable with them being ontop of each other when they weren’t play dating for the benefit of his family.

Otabek’s hand circled Yuri’s wrist when he started to pull away.

“It’s ok.” Yuri waited a second, but Otabek just pulled Yuri’s arm back where it was. “It’s all always ok if it’s with you.”

Yuri didn’t know what that meant, but he was asleep before he could think too hard about it anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! Also JUST SO YA'LL KNOW the angst will be arriving shortly. So get your helmets on cause it's going down down down very soon.  
> (Yes of course it will go back up, just wait for it.)


	6. Friday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back with our regularly scheduled program.   
> You'll notice that the chapter count has gone from 9 to 8, because I've actually finished the draft HUZZAH so there will def be eight chapters :)

He wasn’t sure if he’d imagined Otabek’s whisperings in his ear last night. It seemed too dreamy to be real and yet he could remember exactly how soft Otabek had sounded, his voice quivering slightly like he was admitting a secret. Either way the desire to just kiss Otabek’s sleeping face was altogether too much as Yuri laid in bliss that morning. None of the brothers would come in after what happened yesterday morning Yuri mused. If they were actually together Yuri would trail his fingers down Otabek’s chest, lay fluttering kisses along his jawline, the column of his neck, his collarbone….

Yuri closed his eyes and allowed himself to imagine the feel of it, how Otabek would smile at him all pleased when he woke up to Yuri caressing him soft and sweet before-

Nope Yuri was out of bed, carefully extracting himself and giving himself a mental pat on the back for not rousing the sleeping alpha, or his own dick – that too. He went for a run down the main road, leaving a note for Otabek with a sloppily scrawled cat-face so that he wouldn’t worry.

Otabek was walking down the hall when Yuri arrived back legs and lungs still burning. They stared at each other, Yuri smelling of sweat and grass and Otabek of sweet fresh lavender and the smell of rain that clung to his skin like a thunderstorm thrumming just beneath the surface; it was intoxicating. He could do it. He could walk right up to him and kiss him. The way Otabek seemed to be taking Yuri in suggested that maybe just maybe Mila was right – that there was a possibility that Otabek liked Yuri too.

“Beka-”

“Yura-”

Yuri let out a puff of laughter, looking down and feeling uncharacteristically shy as he peeked through his lashes at Otabek.

“You called me Beka.”

“You call me Yura so….”

Otabek took a step forward his hand brushing Yuri’s cheek as if rubbing dirt off.

“It’s gross,” Yuri said feeling the sheen of sweat leave its print on Otabek.

“No it’s not,” Otabek said. Yuri’s heart was pounding all too-quickly again. “Nothing about you is gross.”

“Flatterer,” Yuri said more breathless than he’d meant to.

“You’re the one who always says strong is beautiful right?”

Yuri hesitated, Otabek was calling him beautiful in a weird roundabout Otabek kind of way. Otabek’s hand slid off his face and he took a deliberate step back. Small though it was Yuri felt it like he’d been moved across the vast sands of a desert.

“You going to shower?”

“Yeah I’ll meet you in the kitchen?” Yuri said trying not to deflate too obviously.

“Ok.”

He probably really had smelled bad. In a rare fit of self-consciousness Yuri tried to sniff himself before showering. Then after his shower he merely stared at himself naked in the mirror. He was good looking. Everyone said so. And he and Otabek were close. He’d fuck himself so wouldn’t Otabek want to too? Katsudon’s voice appeared at the back of his mind saying a bunch of bullshit like _lust isn’t what this is really about_ fuck maybe it was. _Think about your friendship_ Yuri cursed the little Katsuki of his imagination. Even in miniature fake shoulder-angel form he was annoyingly right.

Scowling at his reflection he wrenched his hair much too tightly into several small braids that wove into a bun at the nape of his neck.

It was still fairly early considering how late everyone must’ve stayed up the night before.

“Let’s go to the patio,” Otabek said after Yuri had greeted Mr. Altin and Aybek who were discussing something about a new line for Alpura over a laptop. He couldn’t say for sure but he thought he felt someone’s eyes on him as he exited.

It was cool out, the sun peeking over the hills as they settled in a small alcove on the east facing side. He could hear the light titters of birds and he turned his face into the light breeze that fluttered past. He found himself staring off at the path that he and Otabek had gone down just the other day on Sasha. Vaguely he wondered if Otabek had ever competed.

“Hey Beka.”

When he turned Otabek was watching him, a small smile on his face. “Yes?”

Right the horses. But Yuri just looked down at his coffee. Being quiet with Otabek was somehow better than talking. He didn’t really need to know about the horses anyway.

“You’re cold?”

Yuri looked down at the gooseprickles dotting his arms. There was a rustling of clothing and then Otabek’s Kazakh football sweater was being passed over.

“Thanks.”

He pulled it on and it fell all around him like a huge blanket warming him.

Back in the house Mr. Altin and Aybek had cleared out of the kitchen, but Otabek’s mother, after kissing Otabek’s cheek, had gripped Yuri and commented on how good teal looked on him, suggesting that maybe he should wear it more often. The implication made his mouth go dry. Kazakh colors looked good on him. Jesus fuck.

But then Victor and Katsudon came in and Yuri found himself inquiring after Potya. Who was apparently being cared for, along with Makkachin by Mari which was of course totally unacceptable and he told them so.

Victor’s eyes swept over Yuri his mouth opening to comment but Yuri shoulder-checked him hard and started talking to Yuuri, who Victor would never interrupt and who was much less likely to give Yuri a hard time about the damn sweater.

“So when’re you heading out?” Nurasyl asked Otabek later that afternoon.

“Heading out?” Yuri questioned.

“Otabek’s doing the first set for the bachelor party.”

Yuri turned bright eyes on Otabek.

“Where is the party?”

“We’ve rented out a hotel in town for the weekend,” Erasyl said.

“It’s where most of the guests are staying,” Nurasyl added.

“So they’re having a joint bachelor party?”

“Yeah,” Erasyl grinned.

This meant that he’d have to put up with Victor’s stupid ass all night, but on the plus side he’d probably be drunk enough to not care.

“So when are we leaving?” Yuri asked.

“You don’t have-”

“Otabek,” Yuri said clearly, “I’m going with you.”

“I’m pretty sure Mila said something about wanting to get ready with you,” Erasyl said rolling his eyes.

“Oh.”

“I’ll see you there,” Otabek said. Yuri hesitated but getting ready with Mila for parties was weirdly one of their things, and this was sure to be a good one.

“Ok, I’ll make sure to look extra hot for you,” he said giving Otabek’s bum a playful tap.

Otabek, predictably, jumped and the twins howled with laughter. Yuri chuckled at Otabek’s pleading look as if asking how he could be so cruel. Sometimes Otabek was just too easy to tease. A few hours later and all of Yuri’s party clothes had made their way to Erasyl and Mila’s room

“Get outta here!” Mila squawked as Erasyl tried to resist the shove out the door.

“But babeeee,” he whined.

“Do you want me to look sexy or annoyed?” she finally asked. Erasyl sputtered and she made quick work of throwing him out the door and locking it. “That’s better,” she said to Yuri.

“You always look good!” came Erasyl’s voice through the door.

“Get lost,” she said through her laughs. “Alright what do we have?”

Mila as always had about ten black dresses to choose from.

“But which one makes me look the least like a prostitute?”

“You mean a high end street walker,” Yuri said holding up something with diamond shaped cutouts down the front. “Do your boobs even stay in this?”

“Nah,” said Mila grabbing it from him and chucking it across the room. “So are you going to test the waters tonight?”

“I don’t know,” Yuri said as he vetoed a different dress. Mila waited patiently as she started stripping. “It’s just, whatever happens I want to be friends still… is that too much to ask?”

Mila shimmied into something that shimmered as she moved. “I don’t think it’s too much. Do you honestly think that Otabek would stop being friends with you if he found out how you feel but he felt differently?”

“No but… it might just become uncomfortable,” and the mere thought of that happening gutted him.

“I definitely think he likes you,” Mila said. “It’s the way he looks at you, I was watching and it’s like you’re everything to him.”

Yuri looked up eyebrows raised.

“Ugh you know what I mean!” she said. “Now how is this one?”

“Surprisingly less trashy than I’d expect from you,” he said eyeing the dress.

“Hey,” she said chucking a shoe at him.

Four dresses later and they’d picked one with slits up the sides and a drop back.

“So you own black, white and animal print. Some things never change,” Mila said as she stared down at the pile now occupying the bed.

“Shut it hag.”

He ended up in a simple wideneck and slightly oversized white tee with black leather moto pants and a tiger print kimono. He went for white sneakers because he wanted to dance not stand around.

They did each other’s hair, reminiscing about all the shows they’d done together and Yuri forcing red lipstick on Mila before she gave him some simple black eyeliner.

Victor and Yuuri were waiting by the door when he and Mila finally emerged.

“You look so nice,” Yuuri said to Mila and Yuri.

“Yeah well we’re fucking models, obviously we look good,” Yuri spat.

“Thank you,” Mila said giving Yuri a shove.

As they were exiting the car at the hotel Victor held Yuri back.

“How are things going?”

He wasn’t teasing, but looked genuinely interested, always suspicious.

“Fine, how’re things with Pig.” Victor loved talking about himself and it was one of Yuri’s surefire ways to get Victor off his back.

“Oh we’re amazing, just fantastic. But I’ve been wondering, are you and Otabek actually dating now?”

Yuri scoffed. “Of course not.”

“Oh,” said Victor. And he had the nerve to actually look disappointed.

“What did you think we’d pretend to date and then poof actually be dating? This isn’t fucking Cinderella.”

“I never said-”

“Yeah yeah,” Yuri said striding forward. He was yanked back almost immediately. He tried to shake free but Victor was looking uncommonly serious. “Jesus what? You’re fucking creepy when you’re not making an ass of yourself.”

“Shouldn’t you tell him how you feel?”

“Are you fucking crazy? Why the fuck would I do-” Yuri stopped talking abruptly, expecting Victor to gloat at his ability to get Yuri to admit his feelings, but Victor was looking even more unlike his usual cheery obnoxious self. Shit Victor had been able to tell too? Yuri was starting to feel alarmed at Victor’s seriousness. Was he ill? Dying? Victor stood there thinking for a long time, head bowed and eyes closed. Then his eyes opened, eerily calm.

“You should tell him. Tonight maybe.”

Yuri gaped. Where could he possibly start with how bad of a plan this was. Testing the waters was one thing. But straight up confessing… he might as well claw his own eyes out. They’d definitely gotten more comfortable around each other in the last few days. And yeah he’d been touchy feely for show although… no one had been watching when Otabek had curled around him in bed, or when he’d cupped Yuri’s cheek in the hall.

But Yuri wasn’t going to fuck up his friendship. He could tell that it would tear Otabek apart to have to reject him. Hell he might even tell his family that it was all a hoax so that Yuri could go home in peace if he wanted.

No Yuri was just going to maybe like seduce him? Yeah but not like a filthy pirate wench more coyly like a puma or a tiger, you know stealth-like but also give Otabek space to politely decline without like having to reject Yuri outright.

“I’m not telling him anything,” Yuri said to Victor decisively.

“But he likes you, I’m sure of it.”

Yuri wanted to slap slap slap his stupid face. Victor had no common sense because everything always worked out in Victor’s world. Year after year he was named the best actor, won all sorts of awards, hell he’d jetted off and dropped his career all for love and then gotten to just go back to it and be top dog all over again except this time with a perfect omega by his side. He hadn’t even had to try that hard with Yuuri; it had taken like a year max. And here he was telling Yuri what to do. Well unlike Victor Yuri didn’t have a fucking support cast with a legion of family and friends telling him how amazing he was all the time. Yuri had had to work hard for what he’d gotten. Done fucking lingerie for fucks sake which he’d _hated_. He’d had to put up with people expecting him to be like his mother, a bombshell who was known for having slept with literally everyone to move up in her career. Or people looking at him like he was trash because they assumed he was like her. Only Otabek seemed to get Yuri. His eyes became slits in his annoyance.

“Just let me do my thing,” Yuri finally said. Victor was giving him a sad pitying look and Yuri found himself rolling his eyes. He shoved past into the hotel adjusting his shirt as he went.

He was disoriented by the darkness and the amount of flashing lights as his eyes searched the room and found Otabek up in the DJ booth. Seeing Otabek making music was something Yuri had experienced countless times. His hair was always in the same style, his leather jacket (version 2 since Yuri’d met him – he’d needed to accommodate some alpha broadness) hanging off the chair behind him, and an Alpura water bottle by his side. He almost always wore a white tee and when Yuri would tell him he’d done well after a set Otabek would smell a little electric, like lightning mingled into his storm clouds. Tonight was no different. He looked the same as always and Yuri remembered the first time he’d gotten to hear him at a club so long ago.

“Yuri! I thought you’d been eaten,” Mila squealed as he sidled up to the bar. “We waited for you,” she added as she passed him a shot. Erasyl and Nurasyl had shots too and a boy in a snapback with a selfie stick was clutching one as well while he took photos of him and Nurasyl.

“Prochnost,” Yuri said before throwing the shot back.

“Prochnost,” Mila said. She gave him a questioning look but he just grinned and shook his head. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and then Erasyl and Mila were going onto the floor to dance. Selfie-stick guy smooched and then pushed a laughing Nurasyl after them while he turned back to the bar and Yuri followed out to the floor.

Otabek tended to incorporate a lot of international influence into his sets, and there was an old school vibe that Yuri could never quite place; it made him long for a time and place that may have never even existed. Right now was a sort of sickly sweet song that had been bass boosted and remixed with some kind of electric piano and like maybe a rainstick? Yuri didn’t fucking know. It really shouldn’t have worked.

It definitely worked.

He and Mila were throwing in a lot of classical dance styles and he was pleased to see Erasyl and Nurasyl keeping up. He’d expected nothing less from models, even if they looked a little dopey when they weren’t performing. It felt like no time had passed but the room had been steadily getting more crowded and he registered Christophe and Yuuri nearby dancing rambunctiously. Yuri turned to watch and realized that Yuuri was completely shitfaced. Oh hell. If Yuuri was here then Victor was… a quick scan found him walking towards Yuuri looking amused.

“Victor, love!” Katsudon squeaked.

Yuri tried not to puke and accepted the second shot Nurasyl passed him before he and Erasyl went off somewhere leaving Mila and Yuri stuck joining whatever insane breakdown was about to occur. Sure enough Yuuri spotted Yuri and announced that it was time for a “two Yuri’s dance.”

How did Katsudon pull this off? It always started with a scoffing Yuri, a drunk but surprisingly flexible Katsudon and a few voices in the background suggesting that maybe Yuri couldn’t keep up or wasn’t as _skilled_ -

Yuri was dancing ferociously, pirouettes, fucking breakdancing moves, the occasional lift with Yuuri. He felt like a true tiger here – gliding majestically. At some point he became aware that the music style had changed to fit their antics and when he glanced up, he could see Otabek watching them. He didn’t look stressed at having to change his set, or annoyed or any of the other emotions that Yuri might’ve guessed. He looked hungry.

Yuri wondered if Otabek really wished that he could be down there competing. A quick glance to the circle of crazed men told him that Christophe had joined in; a pole miraculously appearing out of god knows where at his behest. Yuri did a double-take of a truly spectacular dip that Yuuri and Christophe were pulling off in the air, each clinging to the pole with a couple extremities.

But back to Otabek. He was looking determined, excited, and- well super fucking hot. Yuri had never tried pole dancing but then Victor was pulling off Yuri’s kimono and shoving him towards Christophe who had his arm outstretched. Yuri vaguely registered selfie-stick guy hovering and Yuri just prayed that none of these found their way to the internet.

There comes a point in a dance with poles where you just fucking can’t anymore. And when that moment came Yuri slunk to the bar, because it was the only place far enough from the little hellhounds grasp. He chugged some water and then searched for a bathroom. Sweat was pouring off him, fortunately he didn’t smell like ass though so that was cool. His white shirt was clinging to his chest and he aired it out quick while rubbing some wet paper towels over his neck and above his shirt’s neckline.

When he got back to the party he grabbed another shot before finding Mila who was now dancing with a few of the other brothers and their alphas and random Swiss people that Yuri had yet to meet. He didn’t stop dancing until he heard Otabek saying that he was going to pass off his post. It had already been a few hours and Yuri was glad that Otabek was done for the night.

He quickly grabbed two shots and went over to the booth as Otabek was descending.

“Hey,” he said passing Otabek a shot.

Otabek didn’t have to ask because Yuri always brought him vodka. He knocked it back and put it on a table and then Yuri was passing him the second shot.

“What?” Otabek said actually laughing a little. Yuri grinned.

“You haven’t had anything to drink right? And besides,” he winked, “you’re an alpha.” They sometimes joked about their biological differences, but the truth was that alphas had more than twice the number of enzymes as omegas to break down alcohol and Otabek was a big guy. He might feel a little tingly from two shots but that was it.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” Otabek said in mock serious tones.

“Now that I’d like to see.” Because Otabek did not get drunk. Ever.

As soon as the second shot was down Yuri grabbed him by the belt loops before turning away and grabbing his hand to lead him out onto the dance floor. Otabek wasn't really into dancing, but Yuri was determined tonight. He whipped around to face Otabek who was looking down at him already. Yuri let his hands slowly trail up Otabek’s abs and chest, pressing his palms in and then sliding his fingers over Otabek’s shoulders. Otabek looked surprised but he just moved closer into Yuri’s space. Yuri could feel his grin pulling his mouth wide. Being this close and not just because they had to share a bed felt electric. He let himself crowd in, his chest almost touching Otabek’s but not quite. He could feel the heat radiating off of Otabek and he found his eyes going straight to the alpha’s mouth. It was mere inches away, easy to reach, to finally taste….

Yuri started moving, his eyelashes cast down and when he looked through them at Otabek he saw-

Panic.

Sheer and utter panic. Yuri changed course and rested his head on Otabek’s shoulder trying not to shake too badly. What had that been? He knew that he was gripping Otabek’s shirt too tightly; he just needed to breathe.

And he smelled it. The rainstorm that was Otabek Altin all the while coated in lavender and rolling through Yuri like thunder. He almost choked on how thick it felt in his lungs and he squeezed his eyes closed, pressing against Otabek and whining quietly. He felt more than heard the growl that Otabek let out in response and Yuri couldn’t stop himself from mouthing at the scent glands that he had unwittingly stumbled across. Otabek had buried his nose in Yuri’s hair and he made a sound like he was physically hurting. It startled Yuri to the point that he pulled back on instinct to make sure Otabek was ok. When he shifted Otabek moved to mirror him, their gazes locked and Yuri finally saw something akin to want there. This time Yuri didn’t have to move, he merely looked down and saw Otabek’s lips come to him. It was a soft brush, a barely there touch of lips as Otabek’s mouth hanged open slightly. And then there was nothing else but how they were connected. Otabek’s hands bruising Yuri’s hips, his lips soft and needy as they enveloped Yuri’s. Yuri found himself slipping his tongue into Otabek’s mouth and could barely register the slick wetness of Otabek’s own tongue darting out to lick at him. He moved one of his hands to scratch his nails through Otabek’s undercut and Otabek hummed into his mouth, one broad hand moving lower until- Yuri whined as Otabek squeezed his ass and he felt something twitch against his leg.

Otabek pulled back and Yuri let out a soft hiss at the lack of contact. His heart was beating out of his chest his body aching from every place where Otabek was no longer touching him.

“Shit.”

It wasn’t Yuri who had said it and he watched in complete horror as Otabek ran his hands down his face and then gripped his own hair tightly as he started shaking his head.

“I- I can’t,” Otabek said looking into Yuri’s eyes in distress.

The slow fire that had been burning in him transformed to something like rage as he watched Otabek turn around and literally run away from him. He left the fucking room.

Yuri swayed on the spot for two or three seconds before his heart finally plummeted.

Rejected.

Again.

Because this had all happened before.

There had been a time soon after they’d met when Yuri had thought that Otabek and his friendship was over. He’d been doing another show in Paris to release Lilia’s animal print line that she’d designed specifically for him, and Otabek was still establishing his career and opening for an Australian DJ who’d been touring Europe.  

Yuri had convinced Lilia and Yakov to let him stay an extra day so that he could see Otabek. He’d even offered to attend some extra conventions and conferences to sweeten the deal for them and eventually they’d relented (ok so maybe he’d also appeared at Lilia’s apartment in the middle of the night with a monologue ready and she’d been so annoyed – Yakov too – yes he was there hello blackmail – that they’d let him go to the concert). He wondered at the time if that was what having parents was like. Old people who never wanted to let you have fun.

So there he’d been, new zebra leggings and all and watching Otabek’s show and wondering if maybe he and Otabek were more than friends. If…

He’d waited backstage with his VIP pass after Otabek had finished his set.

“You were amazing,” Yuri told him giving him a simple hug. Otabek didn't seem the type to invite overt gestures of friendship so Yuri hadn’t pushed it especially since having a friend was still so new for him. They’d ended up out at an after party, Yuri dancing and Otabek somehow getting muscled into DJing for free (that did not seem like a way to thank someone for being good at their job), but Yuri had been inhaling shots and dancing like a wild man and drunk texting selfies to Mila. Ok and also posting them on his instagram. He had light up cat ears on and he looked fucking hot and ok a little ridiculous. The angels liked it at least.

“Yuri?”

“Otabek!” he’d said skipping over and wrapping his arms around Otabek’s neck, slinking straight into a dance move. Otabek’s hands automatically went to his waist and Yuri leaned in to yell in his ear. “You’re too much of a pushover! You should’ve told those assholes to fuck off,” he’d laughed.

He felt Otabek shrug and he pulled back slightly to see a faint smile on Otabek’s lips. In that moment he knew what he wanted. He’d gone up on his tiptoes, nose brushing against Otabek’s cheek even as he heard him inhale.

“Yuri?”

And then Otabek had turned away as a loud crash sounded; Yuri had dropped back down on his heels and smelled a weak hint of rain. Had Otabek started wearing cologne? Yuri took a shaky step back. Otabek’s hands had already dropped, distracted by someone yelling something at him. Yuri let his hands slip from around Otabek’s neck. He looked up to see Otabek gesturing to someone up on the booth.

“I’ll be right back,” Otabek had said. Yuri thought he looked pained, but at the time he hadn’t known Otabek well enough to tell what it was exactly that crossed his face. What he could tell was that he hadn’t wanted Yuri. It was obvious what Yuri had been about to do and Otabek had taken the excuse of helping someone and turned away.

He’d slipped out of the club, messaging Otabek that he wasn’t feeling well. He’d thrown up on the curb and then stumbled into a taxi that took him to his hotel.

He’d felt worse than he’d felt in years when he’d woken up in the morning. It wasn’t the headache or the tightness of his scalp from forgetting to take out his braids. It was the realization that Otabek hadn’t shown any interest. He’d never really touched him past receiving Yuri’s hugs. Never told him he’d looked good since that first night they’d met.

Yuri had been too embarrassed to message him after that. He’d felt even worse because Otabek hadn’t messaged him either not even to check if he’d made it to his hotel ok. Yuri was convinced that Otabek was over him; that he’d been too pushy and too obvious and too much.

Five days after he’d tried to kiss Otabek he’d gotten a message.

_I am sorry that I couldn’t text. Are you ok?_

_If you can let’s facetime_

Yuri had sulked for a day but then realized that it wasn’t Otabek’s fault that he didn’t like Yuri, for all Yuri knew he wasn’t interested in omegas, or males or hell maybe Yuri repulsed him. He’d tried not to throw something at that thought. He’d called Otabek, going on a long rant about how Potya kept stealing his food and then asking what was new with Otabek.

“I’m really sorry that I didn’t message you I-”

“No no it’s fine you don’t have to explain. Don’t worry about it.”

He’d changed the subject quickly and after a brief look of confusion Otabek had gone with it.

Yuri wasn’t sure when exactly it had happened but the next time he’d seen Otabek he’d been hit by a strong smell of rain and dark clouds and lavender.

“You’re not a beta?”

“I uh… presented late I guess,” he’d said as he’d scratched his undercut. Yuri’s body thrummed but it didn’t matter. Otabek was his friend, nothing more. Yuri had hugged him and Otabek had seemed relieved, as if he’d been worried that Yuri wouldn’t want to be friends with him anymore. Things had gone back to normal for the most part and Yuri had shoved those feelings deep deep deep down. Yuri had even tried dating other people (that had been a disaster). And well the rest was history.

He’d thought that things had changed though. That something in this week had been real, that maybe Victor and Mila and whoever else had been right: that Yuri had mattered.

But they’d been wrong. _He’d_ been wrong. He vaguely registered Mila coming up to him and asking if he was ok and he vaguely registered a figure who looked somewhat like Otabek watching him, but he couldn’t right now.

Victor caught up to him when he was almost out the hotel door.

“Yurio.”

Yuri kept walking, realizing that they’d had their first conversation of the night in exactly the same spot.

“Yuri,” he said again, this time holding onto his arm. It wasn’t a strong grip and maybe that’s what made him finally feel so incredibly small and fragile. “What happened?”

He just shook his head forcing himself not to cry as he opened and closed his mouth.

“Just tell Otabek that I went back. That I felt sick,” he said giving out a dry chuckle. His lie at least hadn’t changed, not that it mattered.

Victor gave him a long searching look and then asked, “did you tell him?”

Maybe if Yuri had had anything left in him he would’ve raged at Victor but as it was he had nothing.

“You were wrong,” he said. “Now let me go.”

“Let me at least make sure you get a cab ok.”

Yuri hesitated but nodded. It was an easy enough request and arguing would only prolong his departure which would go against the plan starting to form in his mind.

Yuri got a cab, Victor rattled off the address and shoved money in Yuri’s hands – as if he was his dad and then Yuri was gone.

As the cab pulled up Yuri passed him the money.

“How much if you wait for a half hour?”

The price didn’t really matter and Yuri hurried through the second kitchen and up a back stairwell unseen by Otabek’s parents.

He stripped down and threw on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before spraying the fuck out of himself with a scent neutralizer. He then proceeded to throw all of his clothes, his toiletries, a stray sock, and as many of his shoes as he could find into his suitcase. This was the first time that he regretted leaving shit all over whenever he traveled.

He was back out at just under 19 minutes. He called Yakov en route and demanded that he book a flight and then told him to stop being so damn nosy and to just arrange the flight even if it cost him more than a liver on the black market.

“I don’t know Yakov just do it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't skewer me :X


	7. After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooooooooo sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I haven't had the time to edit and I really didn't want to put it up without doing a quick quick check jic  
> Hopefully it's up to someones standards :X ;)

He was able to take a quick shower in the VIP lounge bathrooms before his flight at 6:13AM. He’d barely made it on time and had to fly economy, but he passed out so fast that he hardly noticed. But then he woke up with a crick in his neck and smelling like death and he wondered if the seats were actually just not cleaned back here. Haggard was how he looked in the mirror of the Moscow airport bathroom, but he didn’t have time to breathe or think or do anything else. He left his phone on airplane mode knowing that texts would be pouring in by now.

“Yurochka?”

It was just after nine in the morning and he blinked up at his grandfather blearily before throwing his arms around him and feeling the wetness behind his eyes. He didn’t have to explain or say anything or be anything other than what he was: completely devastated. He somehow managed to drag his suitcase in and stumble to his childhood bedroom before he passed out fully clothed.

When Yuri was younger he’d fought with the other children. He didn’t have a mom – well he would’ve been better off if he hadn’t he thought – and they’d made fun of him for his ratty jeans and too big winter jackets. Most of his time was spent alone while his grandfather went off to work so that he could support them. His mom was noticeable only in her absence. He only ever remembered hating her, which was strange because he must’ve loved her at some point. But then the questions had started. Why didn’t she visit that one time he’d gotten pneumonia? Or given him something other than cash squashed in an envelope on his birthday? Why did grandfather always look vacant behind the eyes after she would stop by? The older Yuri got, the more she seemed like a vapid creature; not even real to him or his grandpa anymore. How could she treat them like that? And then she’d said to him “you might look like me but you’re so like your father, always fucking angry.”

It was the only thing she’d ever said about his dad. Yuri had always assumed that she didn’t know who his dad was, but she had. When Victor had come along – he’d been visiting his aunt who lived down the road – he’d seen Yuri stalking angrily down a street. Victor’s aunt had told him about Nikolai and Yuri and Victor had marched over to their house to talk to Yuri’s grandfather. At the time Yuri was 16. Nikolai hadn’t seemed pleased at the idea of him modeling. Later Yuri realized that his grandfather probably worried that Yuri’d end up like his mother. But Yuri knew his mom made money and when the brand he’d gotten signed for put him in underwear that he didn’t fully understand he’d just done his job.

He remembered his shaking hands when he’d gotten his first paycheck and passed it over to his grandfather who’d looked so sad and yet proud of him that Yuri had been slightly embarrassed. Every check after that had gone into a joint account. And even now Yuri refused to have his own account. His grandfather told him that he was set and Yuri didn’t have to, and Yuri had retorted that if he was set then it didn’t matter if there was more money coming in or not and he should just let Yuri do what he wanted.

“You’re a good kid Yurochka,” he’d said and that had been the end of that. Yuri had finally told Yakov after a year that he fucking hated lingerie and that he would do anything to go into a different field.

It was a typical story he knew, how the kids had tormented him, how sports had made him stronger and he’d finally thrown a punch and no one had messed with him again, how he didn’t want to be seen as a weak omega.

It had all been so long ago and yet…

Yuri opened his eyes back in his childhood bedroom. His body felt like a lead weight. Moving was unbearable, he’d barely slept, remembering his mom and how he’d hated himself for feeling nothing but slight relief when she’d died and then hating her because if she weren’t such a bitch then he wouldn’t feel this way. The kids at school, the lingerie photographer who had gotten hard watching him; his grandfather going near silent with sadness after his only daughter would visit; how hard Yuri had worked to get where he was; and through it all: Otabek. Otabek’s smile; Otabek turning away from him again and again and again.

Somehow he made it to the shower, but the water ran cold by the time he got out. His skin felt like ice and when he looked in the mirror his eyes looked like dull seas. He toweled off, put on sweatpants and went out to the kitchen wishing for Potya.

His grandfather passed him a mug of coffee and Yuri choked out a thank you, tears threatening all over again as he looked into his grandfathers eyes.

Otabek wouldn’t want someone like Yuri, of course he wouldn’t. No matter how successful Yuri was he’d never be anything more than a perpetually angry omega with more mommy issues than anyone would ever want to deal with and apparently Otabek had an amazing family… large, supportive, fun…. Yuri closed his eyes and imagined how none of this would’ve happened if Victor hadn’t suggested he go with Otabek. He wanted to be angry, but for the first time in a long time he just felt sad. So so seeping with sad.

It took a whole day before he was able to talk about it. He told his grandfather the parts that mattered: he was in love with his best friend – and Otabek didn’t love him back. Something about saying it out loud made him feel raw and yet slightly better. But as Sunday crawled through he couldn’t help but know that the wedding was happening, and later in the day knowing that Otabek was on a plane.

It was with a heavy heart that he met with Yakov and Lilia in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

“I’d like to request a leave of absence.”

He couldn’t look at them as he said it, and Yakov immediately started yelling but a light touch on his knee from Lilia was all that was needed to quell him.

“How long?” she said.

Yuri just shook his head. How long to mend a broken heart?

“If you wanted you could go do something abroad. There are some other lines that have sent requests to the agency.”

“Where?”

Yuri felt a pang as he mentally ran through Otabek’s schedule already knowing where he’d be and when. It was an ever-changing list that Yuri tried to match his to; now he’d do the opposite.

“There’s a line being introduced in Australia for business attire.” Yuri had never done that but he tried to imagine it. “Or there are other requests from some of Mila’s endorsers.”

Mila. Who’d been so sure of Otabek, who was dating Otabek’s brother. Fuck his fucking brothers. Yuri closed his eyes to stop from missing them. He didn’t even know them; what the hell was wrong with him?

“Those are lingerie brands,” Yuri said, just to participate.

“Yes,” Lilia answered.

He’d hated feeling so exposed. Like the men who just watched his mother were the only ones looking. But there were people who actually bought the lingerie who weren’t filthy alpha pervert assholes. Maybe doing something totally out of character was what he needed. He didn’t feel like himself anyway. And he wasn’t weak like they’d thought he’d be… he could do it. Just to spite them.

“I’ll do that,” he said before his brain fully caught up with his mouth. “Something different I mean.” Typical.

Lilia and Yakov exchanged a look but then Yakov was telling him when to expect the proposals to peruse through and that they wanted a decision by Thursday.

It was hard not to think about how Otabek was already back from the wedding. Mila too, and Victor and Yuuri. Yuri really wanted to get Potya, but he hadn’t used his personal phone since he’d gotten to Russia. He didn’t want to open it and see that Otabek hadn’t messaged him _like last time_.

But by Wednesday night he knew he had to check his phone. He charged it up fully and then turned it on feeling nauseous. He’d barely eaten since coming to Russia but his stomach still threatened to revolt.

He had so many texts and missed calls and voicemails, some from numbers he didn’t even know that he didn’t know where to start. But he only cared about one thing right now: getting his cat back.

He opened his conversation with Victor, ignored his unread messages from him (26), and sent

_When can I get Potya back_

His phone chimed immediately and he almost dropped it.

_Yuri are you ok_

_Did you get my messages_

_We’ve been so worred_

_Were at home now if you want to grab her_

_Please let us know that your ok_

Yuri ran to the bathroom and heaved up water. His phone was ringing.

“Hello?” he croaked, grabbing some toilet paper to wipe the sick off his mouth.

“You’re alive,” Victor said in relief. “I’m putting you on speakerphone.”

Yuri didn’t say anything.

“Hi,” came Katsudon’s much calmer voice.

“Hey,” Yuri managed.

“You can come get Potya, or we can bring her to you,” Victor said.

“I’ll- I’ll get her. Can I come now?”

“Of course you can but Yurio-”

“I’ll be there soon,” he said tersely and hung up.

He rang the doorbell and the door opened suspiciously fast, as if they’d been waiting right on the other side.

“Yurio.” Victor hugged him tight, too tight, and Yuri just stood stalk still staring at a nervous looking Katsudon. Eventually Victor released him, looked him up and down, and then quickly shut the door behind him.

“Where is she?”

“I’ll get her,” Katsudon said. Yuri saw him and Victor share a concerned look before Katsudon went back to where their room was.

“Let me get you some tea,” Victor said.

“No I’ll be leaving soon.”

“Yurio-”

“That’s not my name. Fuck you knew me first,” he said glaring at Victor for the first time since he’d arrived.

“Sorry.”

Yuri stared completely caught off guard. Victor Nikiforov didn’t apologize.

“It’s ok,” he said through his surprise, which was also something not often said between them.

“Did you read our messages?” Victor asked.

Yuri took a deep breath and shook his head, forcing himself not to look at the ground. Victor’s eyes widened.

“You don’t know… about the wedding then.”

“What about the wedding?” Yuri said in panic, trying to figure out how he had managed to ruin a marriage before it had even started.

Victor’s eyes were stuck looking larger than life.

“Otabek he-”

At the name Yuri gave an involuntary shudder, his lip wobbling and he took a step back. No one had said that name to him since he’d left Kazakhstan.

Victor cleared his throat and steered Yuri to the couch. Yuri just went along feeling numb.

“He almost didn’t make it,” Victor said quietly. “To the wedding I mean.”

Yuri wasn’t understanding what that really meant. And while he didn’t think he could ever look Otabek in the face again he couldn’t help but ask. “Why not?”

Victor’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yuri-” Yuri could hear him cutting off the “-o” that he was so used to saying. “He almost went into rut.”

Yuri stared in confusion.

“At the bachelor party! Aybek found him in the bathroom out of his mind and-”

In the bathroom at the bachelor party?

“I don’t understand,” Yuri said meekly.

Victor’s hands were in fists, his eyes alight, “ _you_ almost sent him into a rut. He would’ve missed his brothers wedding if he hadn’t been able to get away from you and get things uh under control as you will.”

Victor was looking at him expectantly.

“No…” Yuri said slowly. “He rejected me, he left, all week he pulled away,” he was stuttering his heart picking up pace his stomach roiling and his brain fuzzy from lack of sleep and food. “All week he pulled away.”

Victor gripped his shoulders. “Think about it Yuri, spending every moment with the omega you’re in love with, always close but not fully close. And knowing that your rut is coming but that even if you could tell the omega how you felt you could trigger an early rut and then you’d _miss_ your brothers wedding.”

“That can’t have been… what happened.” Yuri felt ill. This was wrong. It wasn’t true. It didn’t make sense. Yuri could never put Otabek in a rut. Otabek wasn’t attracted to him like that. He just wanted to be Yuri’s friend, nothing more. “I don’t- I don’t understand.”

“He’s been calling you right? Left you texts and messages?”

“I didn’t check,” Yuri said. Victor held out his hand and after a time Yuri realized that he wanted Yuri’s phone. Yuri unlocked it and passed it over.

Victor’s eyes zoomed across it.

“He’s sent you messages… and called, he left a voicemail on Sunday after the wedding. Yuri he likes you. He does.”

Victor finally gave Yuri his phone back but Yuri didn’t look at it. He felt a clawing at his chest.

“Are you going to read them?”

Was he…

Otabek was texting him, calling him, Yuri could feel it in his chest the steady beat of a heart heating up with anger, a hot stone ready to burn anyone who got too close.

Yuri stood up, Victor startling at the movement. “No, I can’t- I can’t listen to this, you’re fucking wrong,” he spat. This was bullshit. Victor was assuming that Otabek liked him. And hadn’t Otabek shown at every turn that he very much did _not_ like Yuri? And if it somehow were true then he’d had all week to tell Yuri. What the hell was even going on?

Yuri was done. Fucking done with this feeling of being close but never enough.

“I want my cat now,” he said glaring at Victor in a way that promised pain if his demands weren’t met. Victor visibly paled. Good. He turned to see Yuuri standing in the background, probably for the whole time.

“My cat,” Yuri stated bluntly and Piggy squealed before opening the door to his left. Yuri busied himself with the carrier, aware that he was being watched, but he didn’t give them the satisfaction of interacting with them further. If all they wanted to do was gossip about Otabek then fine whatever, but Yuri was not participating.

“Dasvidanya,” he said as he whirled out the door, ignoring protests and calls to his retreating figure.

The drive home was fraught with yowling. Potya hated that damn cage, and Yuri hated anything being in a cage, but soon he’d be feeding her and snuggling with her and she at least would stick to him like glue.

When he got home there was a slew of proposals for brands in his mailbox. He grabbed them and then let himself into his apartment, letting Potya slink free. There was a minute in which he just breathed with his hands resting on the cool countertop in his kitchen. He missed Otabek deeply not even because he loved him, just because Otabek was the one who should be getting a selfie right now of Yuri with his cat. Yuri went to the bathroom, put on concealer to cover his under-eye bags and then took a selfie to post on instagram of him holding Potya close to his face. There now everyone who kept texting would know he was alive and would piss off. They probably wouldn’t but a guy could dream.

He looked through the offers and felt nothing. No interest, no care, he started the process of elimination. He didn’t want to be gone for a whole week so the business attire was out. The next one was in France when Otabek would be there so that was out too. And Germany was too close to France so the next one was vetoed as well. The fourth was Shanghai… and well there was nothing to avoid there so it looked like he was going south.

Yuri left Potya with Victor again. While Victor didn’t need to know he was leaving, it was ultimately unavoidable.

The brand was one that Mila sometimes walked for. He’d be part of their lineup for Shanghai Fashion Week and wearing something purple that made him look like a bird. It was actually quite exquisite, but lingerie brands always had this over the top quality that he scoffed at. This time was different though: he’d volunteered. He examined his outfit as he waited in the fitting room for them to make alterations. It wasn’t actually bad. Maybe he’d just hated it the first time around because he’d been young and had no choice in what to model and there _were_ sketchy people. But now…

“These are your heels.”

They were three inches, could be worse but not really the sneakers that he was used to.

“Great,” he said when his seamstress looked at him for approval.

No one ate the day of the show and it wasn’t until he was in his dressing gown backstage that he heard the intake of breath and turned around.

Mila was standing there in the same black silk robe that he was, her hair already done and makeup on.

They stared at each other and then Mila hugged him. He didn’t splutter – he just let her.

“Ok people get dressed let’s go!” came a loud voice and Mila jumped back.

“After the show,” she whispered before hurrying to her costume.

It was over in a blur and before he knew it Mila was asking him which hotel he was at.

He told her knowing that he couldn’t avoid everyone forever.

“Me too, post show shakes and talk?”

Yuri hesitated but she grabbed his shoulders and stared.

“Ok,” he relented.

He recalled the last time they’d been in a room together. The series of black dresses and her forcing black eyeliner on him. Shit.

Now they were in sweats, hair a mess and sitting cross legged on the bed staring at each other.

“You didn’t read my texts.”

Yuri shook his head. It wasn’t like he could actually lie about it.

“Read them.”

“You can’t-”

“Watch me,” she said looking stonier than he’d ever seen. Then softening, “trust me ok? Just… read his first and then everything else.”

He didn’t want to see Otabek’s words, or hear his voice or- or know what anyone else had to say on the matter.

He felt numb and then every so often a memory or the conversation with Victor and the one with Mila now was like a knife was being driven into him and twisted over and over again with how many emotions he was going through. He pulled out his phone shaking, and she watched him unlock the screen and pull up Otabek’s message screen.

There were even more now than when he’d first turned his phone on.

_Yuri, I’m sorry I didn’t sleep in our room last night. Let’s talk over breakfast just the two of us._

Yuri felt a stab of pain at the realization that Otabek had sent this without knowing that Yuri had left.

_Yuri you’re stuff is all gone. Are you safe? I’m sorry. Please call me back_

It was so like Otabek to be concerned for Yuri first. Then to _apologize_. Yuri remembered everything that Victor had told him. But it wasn’t possible.

_Please just let me know that you made it wherever you went ok. I’m worried about you._

He’d sent that one the night before the wedding. Then later in the week: _just let me explain. I promise I can explain clearly how I should’ve before._ Yuri closed his eyes for a second before reading the last message from just yesterday. _I’ll be here when you’re ready._

Yuri went to the voicemail section. There it was 16 seconds on Sunday. He hesitated but then took the plunge fingers shaking.

“ _Yuri.”_ A pause and then more quietly, “ _it’s Otabek. I- I really think we should talk. I think maybe you misunderstood something. Not that-”_ another long pause, a bitten off curse maybe. “ _Just call me ok? Please.”_

He hadn’t been prepared to hear Otabek’s voice. To hear him sound so sad. Yuri felt his chest aching again. He listened to the message one more time and then started reading through his other texts. There were several from Katsudon asking after his well-being. And then a few from Mila:

_Yuri, are you ok? Call me ASAP if you haven’t heard what’s going on from anyone else_

_THIS IS NOT A DRILL_

_Yuri seriously please it will all be better if you call_

_I promise_

Yuri wondered if she’d been told what Victor had also said. Then there were three unknown numbers.

_Yuri? It’s Erasyl. Mila’s really shook up with worry. She wants to know if you’re ok..,_

_I want to know too_

Yuri glanced up at Mila before going to another message.

_It’s Nurasyl. Don’t be mad at Otabek. He’ll explain so just call him. I think you guys can get through the rough patch. It’ll be ok_

Yuri felt his eyes sting slightly.

_Yuri. This is Aybek. I don’t know what you’re playing at but if you mess Otabek up like this again you’ll have to deal with me._

Yuri blinked at this last one in confusion. His momentary relief careening off course. It had been sent Friday night at around four in the morning. There was another message from Aybek that Yuri forced himself to read.

_I’m sorry for my previous message. I didn’t realize you liked Otabek too. I thought you were just fooling around with him because he likes you so much. Mila set me straight though. She even decked me for you. Please call him as soon as possible. He’s so upset. I don’t like seeing him like this._

Yuri stared and stared and stared until the screen went black. _I didn’t realize you liked Otabek too._ And then also _he’s so upset_. Yuri swallowed a lump in his throat before rereading the part about Mila punching Aybek.

He looked up quickly and Mila was still watching him biting her lip, brows furrowed in concentration.

It took a while for him to finally break out of his reverie. Otabek was upset. Otabek was waiting to hear from him. Even if Victor was wrong – and Yuri felt that he must be – Yuri couldn’t stand to think that Otabek was upset. But he couldn’t imagine having this conversation on the phone.

“Mila?”

“Yes?”

“We need to go to France.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND NEXT WILL BE THE FINAL INSTALLMENT holy cats. Thank you all so so much for sticking with me on this. I anticipate that next week's update will be Sunday as well. Thanks so much for reading :D


	8. Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here. The last installment. I ended up not really going the smut route as it just didn't feel right. There's a little somethin' somethin' there but not full on smut so I hope that's groovy for everyone. Without further ado: enjoy the show!

“Otabek’s not in France.”

“What?”

Mila tucked her hair behind her ear before grabbing her laptop to search for flights.

The flight to Kazakhstan was quiet, but Yuri’s heart was loud for the duration. Yuri had let Victor in on everything though so the nosy texts were at least the same but other than that the trip couldn’t have been more different. Mila had talked to Erasyl who had talked to Otabek who had called Mila. Then he’d talked to Aybek, who had somehow participated in plans and well… and well Mila assured Yuri that he was set as she helped him pack back in St. Petersburg. He hadn’t spoken directly to Otabek yet, he just didn’t know how to. But he managed to clear the fog enough to message everyone else back. And he’d heard the punching story first hand from Mila. As it transpired Aybek had called him some not very nice names and she’d yelled, without meaning to, that Yuri had been pining for Otabek for probably years. It was embarrassingly accurate and at this point everyone seemed to know everything anyway so it didn’t matter anymore. She had of course slugged him while yelling. Yuri would be mad but he was too impressed to throw up a stink.

It all felt surreal, going to the airport, the flight, the touchdown.

When he got to the airport in Kazakhstan it wasn’t a group of brothers who was waiting. It was just Aybek.

“Yuri,” he said solemnly, clapping him on the shoulder and grabbing Yuri’s small bag and leading him out to the car.

“Thanks,” Yuri murmured when Aybek opened his door for him. Yuri knew that Aybek was trying to make up for his poor opinion of Yuri before Mila had talked to him, but Yuri couldn’t help but think that Aybek had a point. Otabek really was too good for him. He let out a sigh without meaning to and immediately tensed up.

“I’m sorry,” Aybek said as he peeled out of the parking lot. And Yuri was surprised to see how frustrated he seemed. “What I messaged you – thinking that you weren’t serious about Otabek… and how I acted, I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok,” Yuri said. “I know I don’t seem very serious.”

Aybek shook his head vigorously. “It’s not that. All growing up Otabek wasn’t like the rest of us. He was quiet when we were loud, he cried when he got hurt whereas we punched the closest thing person or creature in alpha annoyance. I was so sure that he’d be a beta. And then he met you and…”

Yuri reminded himself to breathe.

“He always talks about you you know?” Aybek glanced at him as the city peeled away from them. “And it was so obvious how much he liked you, but he never ever said you were dating. Keeping it a secret, well… it’s not like Otabek.”

Yuri was hit with the memory of thinking the exact same thing. That Otabek seemed like the sort of person who would tell his family if he were dating his best friend.

“When we were kids people would hang out with him to get an invite to the house, or because they’d heard that Nura and Era modeled and they wanted to meet them. Otabek’s too kind to say no, even when he knew why they were talking to him.” Aybek let out a long sigh. “People used him all the time. And I just thought,” he sighed. But Yuri understood.

“You wanted to protect him,” Yuri said, understanding that sentiment completely.

“Yes.”

They stayed silent for the rest of the drive and Yuri’s nerves mounted once there was no distraction.

When he went inside he thought that Aybek would lead him into one of the lounges or something to have the family scold him for leaving so abruptly maybe. But Aybek just asked if he wanted to shower or anything before he saw Otabek.

Yuri did want to shower but postponing this any further would be reprehensible.

“No, it’s ok”

“Then, just follow me.”

They went to a wing of the house that Yuri had never been to before and then Aybek stopped in front of a door.

“He’s waiting inside for you. Whenever you’re ready.” And Aybek was gone. Yuri stared for two seconds before pushing the door open. It was a small sitting room. All teals and tans and browns. There were bookshelves lining the walls and just one loveseat and an upholstered chair in which Otabek was sitting. As soon as Yuri entered Otabek stood up crossing over to him. Yuri felt his eyes widen. Otabek had bags under his eyes, his hair was a mess and he was in sweatpants and the same Kazakhstan sweater that Yuri had borrowed what felt like a lifetime ago.

“Yuri,” he said stopping in front of him. Yuri wanted to hug him but also didn’t know how to because he didn’t know where he stood anymore. People could say what they wanted but it was what Otabek said that mattered in this. And as of yet he hadn’t said anything to make Yuri think that he cared about him as more than a friend.

“Hi,” he said, tucking some hair behind his ear.

“There’s food,” Otabek said gesturing lamely behind him but not turning away from Yuri for a second. Yuri nodded and walked over to the loveseat. Sure enough there was a three-tier cake stand with mini sandwich squares on the bottom level, an assortment of scones on the next level up and clotted cream, jam and butter at the top. Yuri took a little plate and put a sandwich and a plain scone on it. It was more than he’d eaten in one sitting in a week. He looked up and saw the nervous look in Otabek’s eyes as if maybe the food wasn’t to Yuri’s liking which was a stupid thing to worry about.

“I…” Otabek started. He shook his head as if to refocus. “Was your flight ok?”

“Yeah,” Yuri said. God this was so unnatural, so not like them. “It was fine.”

Otabek swallowed and nodded several times.

Yuri ate the sandwich in one bite just to have something to do.

“Yuri about Friday.” Yuri whipped his head up and stared. He could smell the nerves in the air, but whether it was from him or Otabek he couldn’t tell. “You were going to kiss me weren’t you?” There was something hesitant and hopeful there and Yuri managed a small nod before looking down.

Otabek let out a relived sigh. “I was going to tell you after the wedding.” Yuri peeked up and Otabek looked straight back. “Everything. How I felt, what I’d been thinking… all of it. But then….”

Yuri waited, wanting to ask but not daring to cut across Otabek’s monologue.

“I like you,” he said simply. “I’ve always liked you, but the timing never seemed right. I thought I had missed my chance after that first night in the club.”

Yuri felt something tugging at his heart as he remembered that night.

“You left me though,” Yuri said urgently. Otabek looked pained but didn’t say anything. “When I tried to kiss you that first time you turned away, you- you went off to go help with whatever had crashed instead of….”

“I did,” Otabek said and Yuri noted the bitterness there. “I was surprised that you wanted to kiss me too, it was all so new, I’d never met anyone like you before. And I wasn’t sure if you just wanted to hookup or… well I didn’t know you that well then and then that guy knocked over a speaker and was having a meltdown. I was worried you’d take it as a rejection but I didn’t want to just make out with you. I wanted to know. To date you if you’d have me.”

Yuri was in shock. This was not how he’d remembered it.

“Don’t you remember? I tried to apologize after,” Otabek continued, “but you wouldn’t let me. And I just thought… that I’d missed my chance. And then you started dating that guy. Alex.” It was shocking to see Otabek’s hands balled up in fists.

Yuri felt a sense of guilt at how upset Otabek sounded. Yuri had started dating Alex soon after, and then after a torturous six months someone else and then someone else all in a vain attempt to move on…. Well he thought he had until this past week. They were silent for a time and Yuri’s brain came up with another matter.

“But this time around you could’ve stayed,” he said unable to hide the hurt. “I clearly wanted you, and when we were at the bachelor party you left me for no reason. Isn’t it obvious how I feel about you by now?”

“How do you feel about me?” Otabek said sounding desperate. It hurt almost more than all the other shit to see that look on his face. But it still took Yuri a moment to get himself to say it. To finally tell Otabek.

“Otabek I like you, I really like you,” he said quietly. “I just want to be with you- even if that means just as friends.” And then more quietly, “I don’t want to keep watching you leave me.”

“You’re the one always leaving,” Otabek said and then winced when Yuri glared at him. “It’s just- Yura,” Yuri’s breath hitched, “I can’t explain if you disappear. I’m not good at… all this.” Yuri nodded, him leaving was kind of true, he had runaway, kind of, twice.

“So why did you push me away?” Yuri asked point-blank.

“At the beginning of the week it was ok, but then I started feeling….”

Yuri had never quite seen a grown man squirm like that. “Feeling?”

“Hot and uh bothered,” Otabek said glancing quickly at him and away again.

Yuri gaped.

“Actually there was one day when I…” Otabek trailed off this time looking Yuri straight in the eyes and willing him to magically understand. Worrying his lip he continued, “I woke up hard, and I thought you were awake but you weren’t and I jerked off in the shower, but then _you_ woke up also hard remember? And I- when you went to the shower I had to go to a different room because I was hard allover again. I’ve wanted you for so long, I thought I was going to lose my damn mind with all the touches and being so close. And when I talked to Aybek about it he said that sometimes Alphas that are with omegas but not _with_ omegas can go into really bad ruts.”

Yuri always thought that was like an urban legend with no basis in biology that alphas used to excuse sexual assault. Yuri was sure that that was true. But maybe there was a second option too; being induced with omega pheromones every night in the same bed and waking up increasingly uncomfortable. Hell even Yuri had felt needy. He blushed at all the memories.

“I’m not blaming you for it,” Otabek said quickly. “I just… I didn’t want to lose control. I wouldn’t have done anything to you, I never would,” he said solemnly. “But if I went into rut then I’d miss the wedding, I thought you’d be repulsed to see me like that, and the whole family would wonder why I wasn’t… ‘normal’ around my ‘boyfriend.’”

Yuri gulped. Shit that sounded really stressful. Otabek was probably the king of repression. Yuri could see it all now that Otabek had said it. Yuri let out a wracking sigh. He felt so exhausted all over again. Otabek always handled everything on his own.

“So Aybek knew we weren’t together?”

Otabek nodded. “I just couldn’t… I needed help.”

“It’s ok.”

Otabek looked relieved and Yuri felt another pang in his chest.

“So… you like me?” Yuri asked cautiously.

Otabek nodded.

“And I like you.”

“Yeah.”

“And this has been going on pretty much since we met.”

Otabek gulped and Yuri did some very fast thinking. He patted the loveseat next to him and Otabek stood and walked over shakily before sitting down with half a foot between them. Yuri turned to him and Otabek searched his eyes, jumping when Yuri put his hand on Otabek’s knee.

“I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t turn away this time,” Yuri breathed as he leaned in.

And then they were kissing.

It was slow, it was hesitant, and it felt right.

Otabek scooted closer and brushed his knuckles across Yuri’s neck. Yuri leaned into it and pulled back slightly to look at Otabek. There was a string of spit between them and Otabek’s eyes were blown wide as he leaned back in to catch Yuri’s lips again. Yuri’s hand was creeping up, the angle slightly awkward, but he didn’t want to move and upset this moment. Because this was everything he’d wanted for three years. He gripped Otabek’s leg, pushing close into his side and smelled something like the air before it rains.

“Yura,” Otabek said quietly. Yuri groaned but Otabek was holding his face with both hands, fingers running patterns on his cheeks, and eyes taking him in. “I don’t want to go into a rut with you.”

Yuri’s mind was all fuzzy and pleasant but he tried to follow. Otabek was blushing lightly and Yuri found his own cheeks heating up. They sat like that just staring into each other’s eyes, their breaths evening out.

“Why?” Yuri asked. “I just want to understand. Do you not like having someone with you in rut?”

Otabek shook his head lightly. “I haven’t been with anyone during it before, but it’s not that. It’s really bad and I’m not myself. What if you got freaked out?”

Yuri bit his lip and Otabek’s eyes zeroed in on it. “You wouldn’t hurt me right?”

“Never,” Otabek said sounding alarmed.

“Right, we both know that’s true, and if we don’t spend it together then what? You jack off a thousand times and leave me kinky voicemails until it’s over and then I go see you?”

“But-”

“If I get overwhelmed or it’s too much I’ll go take a nap somewhere else and then I can come back for round two or ninety-nine or whatever.”

He could see Otabek’s eyes bulging as he mouthed ‘ninety-nine.’

“And you wouldn’t scare me off I’ve-” Yuri felt guilty saying it but it was the truth, “I’ve been with an alpha in rut before.”

“Oh,” said Otabek looking miserable. Yuri quickly kissed his nose and Otabek gave a faint smile.

“I just want to be honest,” Yuri added. “So what do you say? I mean you might not even go into rut if we’re careful right?”

Otabek thought about it for so long that Yuri wondered at whether he’d just fallen asleep with his eyes open.

“I have to tell my parents.”

Yuri retracted his hands. “Well, that’s a mood killer.”

“No! Just, you know they’ve been worried about me.”

That… well ok yeah. But still. Yuri scowled; parents and sex should never be in the same sentence. He didn’t even have real parents and he knew that.

“Do you want to head up to my room? Maybe shower?”

“Trying to get me in bed already?” Yuri said raising his eyebrows.

“No! Just your flight and-”

Yuri laughed and squeezed Otabek who was calming back down.

“I’ll go shower. See you soon.”

When Otabek finally returned Yuri was almost asleep on the bed – he’d been a lot more tired than he’d realized. But then he saw the haunted look in Otabek’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Yuri said getting up immediately and going to stand in front of a dumbfounded Otabek.

“They- they…” Otabek shook his head so slowly not even properly looking in Yuri’s eyes.

“Beka?”

“They said you could stay, and that they’d clear out of the wing… and leave the second kitchen to us.”

“Ok?”

“And if they don’t see us for awhile it’s ok and- and…. Nurasyl was there and said that he would be thrilled if there were some little Yurabeks in nine months.”

Yuri tensed, completely understanding Otabek’s look of horror because the idea of his family saying that was terrifying and also Yuri could imagine nothing cuter than the little minions that his mind was inventing – oh dear god.

“Condoms,” Yuri finally said, voice all scrabbly. “We’ll need a lot of condoms just in case.”

They went to the grocery store to stock up. Otabek grabbed about ten different sports drinks in six different flavors and Yuri grabbed eggs and bacon and cheese and bread. Hardy food.

“How long does yours usually last?” Yuri asked as they got to the sexual wellness aisle. Otabek’s face was pink and he looked beyond uncomfortable.

“Maybe three or four or… could be five?”

Yuri paused by the flavored lube. “Lemon?” he threw it into their basket and Otabek looked distressed.

They moved along to the condoms and after some time Yuri nudged him.

“You’re going to have to find your size.”

Otabek gave him a pleading look but Yuri just raised his eyebrows and looked on amusedly as Otabek grabbed a box.

“I knew it,” Yuri breathed. “I knew you’d be big.” Otabek groaned and grasped Yuri’s forearm. Yuri had meant to tease but hadn’t realized just how on edge Otabek was. “Ok I get it, sorry I’ll uh stop. Maybe go grab some wipes?”

Otabek nodded and disappeared while Yuri grabbed more lube, ribbed condoms in Otabek’s size, and another pack of flavored ones. He also grabbed some cooling gel which was designed to be rubbed on alphas to calm them down in between bouts.

When he found Otabek he slipped the items into their cart.

“Ready?”

“Yeah.”

It was almost four by the time they got back to the house. They stocked the fridge and brought some of their snacks up to the room just in case and while Otabek showered Yuri stepped outside to email Yakov and Lilia that he’d be away for a week and not to worry and he called his grandpa just to tell him that everything was ok after all. Of course he texted Victor to tell him he’d have Potya for longer than planned and explained no further. Meddling ass.

Finally at around 5:30 everything was prepared just in case. Yuri was in his zebra boxers this time and a loose t-shirt as he sat on the bed waiting for Otabek. He felt strangely nervous but tamped it down. It was Otabek, and no matter how it went it would be ok. _They_ would be ok.

Otabek emerged with some very low riding grey sweatpants and Yuri looked at him shamelessly. He let himself take him in. The dark hair on his chest, a body that clearly saw the gym on a regular basis, and the V of his hips that led to… Yuri’s mouth was hanging open and he thought he might be drooling because holy fuck how had he bagged such a specimen. _And he’s your best friend._ Yuri’s eyes shot up to Otabek’s to see him already staring at Yuri.

“Hey,” Yuri breathed.

“Hi.”

Otabek crossed over to the bed before lying down on his side to face Yuri. They stared at each other before Yuri started roaring with laughter. It startled Otabek into trying to sit up again but Yuri just pulled him back down. “Sorry it’s just- we’re kind of worked up yeah?”

Otabek smiled and tucked a lock of Yuri’s hair behind his ear. “I guess we can’t decide when it hits.”

“ _If_ it hits,” Yuri edited biting his lip. He felt so drowsy and yes sex with Otabek sounded amazing, but he wasn’t sure about his stamina right now. Like he might just fall asleep.

“Do you want to just rest for a while? It’s just I haven’t been sleeping well…” he felt stupid admitting it.

Otabek’s eyes said it all: the sadness that he’d contributed to that and the understanding because he obviously hadn’t been sleeping well either. He kissed Yuri’s forehead before getting up and turning off the light. Yuri slipped under the covers and Otabek joined him.

“We’ll need rest anyway,” he murmured and Yuri crawled closer, his head finding Otabek’s chest and his nose nuzzling his neck lightly. He felt Otabek’s fingers trail up his arm and then back down and Yuri tried to move even closer so that all there was was Otabek. Kind, patient, strong Otabek.

“Yeah.”

He didn’t remember falling asleep. But then he was awake with a fierce need to pee. He extricated himself as carefully as possible. After using the bathroom and checking the time, just after midnight, he crawled back into bed and realized what had probably woken him up more than the need to pee. Otabek was burning up. So either Otabek was horribly ill or… Yuri wedged himself back into Otabek’s arms. There was a grunt and then Otabek’s nose was in Yuri’s hair and Otabek was inhaling like a horse before letting out a deep growl. Shit. It was a noise that Yuri had given up on ever hearing and it made him wake up faster than he thought possible. Otabek was pulling him closer in sleep, pressing against him and Yuri felt his body sizzling. An urge to see his face had Yuri jostling in Otabek’s arms. It wasn’t graceful but he managed it. Otabek was bear hugging him, one leg slithering between Yuri’s own; it was so cute. Yuri petted his already sweat-damp hair and Otabek blinked awake, eyes glowing in the dark brighter than his natural color.

“Yura?”

His voice was gravelly and Yuri leaned forward to press his lips lightly on Otabek’s. Otabek kissed back languidly, his hand running up and down Yuri’s side before he sat bolt upright and stared down at Yuri.

“Yuri I feel….”

“It’s ok,” Yuri said rolling onto his back and trying to pull Otabek back down, which wasn't really that difficult. Otabek seemed to melt right onto him, his nose snuffling Yuri’s neck as he climbed over him and kissed him deeply. There was a hand at his waist gripping tightly as all of the calm carefulness left, this was an Otabek that was going to eat him alive. Yuri could feel Otabek pulling Yuri’s arms over his head, twining their fingers together as he started rolling his hips into Yuri’s, their lengths rubbing through far too many layers. But Yuri couldn’t even think about that, all he could think about was how good it felt, how _right_ it was to have Otabek like this.

Then Otabek gripped his hands tightly before loosening them, his chest heaving, “shit, sorry.”

He looked like he was restraining himself as he tried to focus on Yuri’s eyes. Yuri let him have his moment but when Otabek began to release his hands Yuri merely moved his own hands to cup Otabek’s cheeks, forcing him not to turn away.

“You can have this.” Otabek’s breathing was still heavy, but he wasn’t moving away anymore. “I want it too.”

That was all he needed, because he shuddered and then breathed “Yura,” as he dove back down to bruise Yuri’s lips, his hips immediately grinding down and Yuri meeting every sweet movement with his own efforts. It might’ve been seconds or minutes or days when Otabek changed course to kiss down Yuri’s neck. Yuri found his legs wrapping around Otabek, keeping them close as Otabek slid Yuri’s shirt up and over his head.

Imagining it all those times was nothing compared to the wet heat of Otabek’s mouth on him. It was torturously slow in some ways.

But after the first touches came seconds and as their bodies wound together over and over Yuri lost count. Otabek breathing a hushed “beautiful” before taking Yuri into his mouth. Or the slick that eased Otabek in so that Yuri felt his insides melting. Otabek kissed him through it all and Yuri couldn’t stop the whimpers as Otabek thrust into him over and over and over. And through it all it felt like he was in the eye of a storm, lightning on the air in the electric smell that clouded the room.

At some point they fell apart and Yuri became aware of how thirsty he was. On shaky legs he untwisted from the sheets and set his feet on the ground. Ok, deep breaths. He stood and immediately fell back due to the arm still around his waist, pain shooting up his spine.

Otabek scooted closer holding Yuri’s hips to steady him.

“Sorry,” Otabek grumbled. Yuri looked behind him and saw a bit of the fog still in Otabek’s eyes as he reluctantly retracted his hands. Yuri stood up and padded to the bathroom wincing slightly. He grabbed a cup and filled it with water and then chugged it before catching sight of himself in the mirror. He was covered in sweat, his own and Otabek’s and- he flushed at the bruises littered across his skin, the dried cum, the slick still coating his thighs. He shivered before quickly peeing.

He was trying to figure out if he should shower or not when he saw Otabek stumble into the bathroom. And then of course the decision was made for him as Otabek stared at the toilet and then looked over at Yuri. Yuri carefully slipped past him and out into the still-dark bedroom. Coming down from the high he realized how cold he was. Shivering slightly he rifled through his bag and felt- he pulled something out, unsure as he blinked in the dark. His hands ran along the lace and he stared in confusion. He hadn’t packed the lingerie but- but of course. That wench must’ve snuck it in when she was helping him pack. Yuri wasn’t sure if he should curse Mila or thank her. For now he went back to the bathroom.

“I need to shower,” he said when Otabek met him in the doorway. Otabek ran his hands over Yuri’s shoulders and down his arms. “Wait for me?”

Otabek frowned slightly, eyes still blown wide.

“I’ll be quick. And… and turn the lights on.”

And quick he was. He barely had time to get the lingerie on and towel dry his hair before he could practically feel Otabek calling him back to bed. When he opened the door Otabek was sitting against the headboard, cock already hard as he stroked himself. One look at Yuri and he froze.

Yuri sashayed closer, watching intently as Otabek took him in.

“Fuck,” Otabek finally said before flying forward and ravaging him.

The sun was well up in the sky and Yuri’s lingerie long gone when Yuri and Otabek pulled apart again what felt like a million years later. He had never been so well-fucked, never been so full, never fully appreciated lemon-flavored lube. Holy shit Otabek was a god and yes, he really was that big.

He blinked over at the man next to him who seemed to be just as spent and found his head going to Otabek’s chest, his new favorite pillow.

He could hear his heartbeat going madly and Yuri found it riling him up even as he felt his eyes droop.

When he next woke Otabek’s hands were running up and down his thighs and then as he stared into Yuri’s eyes he grabbed a handful of his ass. Yuri gasped before arching his back and sticking out his butt even more. Otabek growled.

“You can spank me if you want,” Yuri said quietly.

There was a ringing slap and Yuri gasped, eyes wide at how sudden it had been, and then Otabek was gripping him again and Yuri found himself parting his legs.

He didn’t know how long he’d gone without food, but his stomach was roaring with displeasure by the time they had both come.

“Maybe I could grab us some food.”

Otabek had rolled off and was on his back staring at the ceiling. “Food,” he said in a daze. “I can-”

But with a light hand on his chest Otabek’s eyes found Yuri’s soft smile.

“What if I just bring it back up yeah?”

Otabek seemed to consider this for a long time before nodding once as if to himself and hurriedly getting off the bed.

Yuri blushed as Otabek shoved his own quickly-discarded sweatpants at Yuri and his Kazakhstan sweater. Yuri wore them like a security blanket down to the kitchen before grabbing food for both of them to take back up.

Otabek ate, but got distracted by Yuri eating, apparently, and ravished him halfway through Yuri’s sandwich. It was gross yet strangely thrilling.

Four days was how long it had been before Otabek’s fog seemed to lift enough.

Yuri had never been so damned tired in his life, but when he blinked his eyes open blearily on the fifth day Otabek was just blinking back too. Otabek’s hand found Yuri’s and he kissed it.

“Hey,” Otabek breathed.

Yuri gave a long slow smile. “How’re you feeling?” he asked as he winced at the burn in his thighs as he tried to scoot closer.

Otabek’s brow furrowed and he brushed Yuri’s hair out of his eyes before cupping his cheek and giving him an expectant look.

“I’m ok,” Yuri said. Yuri rolled his eyes when Otabek frowned. “Just sore.” He gave him a meaningful look and Otabek blushed.

So they were definitely on the wind down.

It was odd in the morning light as Yuri was struck with how much had happened in the last week- no in the last month really. Going to the wedding, and then missing the wedding because of everything, and the rejection and now…. He let his eyes flutter shut and just breathed Otabek in. He’d finally smelled the storm, the lightning and the clouds and the moisture that broke into a rainstorm that he’d only ever seen in movies or read about in books. Otabek was all those things: a rush coursing through him, the light striking every part of him and oh dear god it’s a good thing it had worked out because if it hadn’t he’d have been totally fucked for anyone else.

“You smell amazing.”

Yuri blinked his eyes open and grinned. It hadn’t been him who’d said it. Shit it’s like they were on the same wavelength.

“What do I smell like?” he whispered.

“Like… like tinder and fire and….”

Otabek’s eyes were wide as he searched for the words. “And this sweet maple scent that reminds me of my mother’s cooking at holidays or the warmth of our hearth here in the family home.”

Yuri felt a calm settle over him. Other alphas had described his scent to him before, usually in the throws of passion. ‘You’re like a fire that consumes everything in its wake’ or ‘you’re literally smoking.’ But no one had ever said it quite like this: like it reminded them of home. Of course that’s not really what Otabek had said but-

“It’s wonderful,” Otabek said before blushing.

Yuri gave a soft smile. “Thank you,” he said.

It was almost an hour before they roused themselves enough to shower.

In a daze they made it to the bathroom wordlessly going into the shower together. Yuri couldn’t help but grin at Otabek’s shy smile. This man had been pounding into him the night before and now he was all careful as he squeezed into the shower next to Yuri. God how could Otabek be real.

They didn't wash each others hair or bang against the wall. But there were some slow kisses and some lingering touches. Otabek’s cheeks were pink as he took in the lovebites and small bruises – some of which Yuri didn’t remember happening.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” Otabek said as he brushed along Yuri’s hip before turning off the water.

“Yeah, definitely sore, but more than ok.” He pecked Otabek on the nose just to startle the concern off his face.

The rut seemed to be well and truly over and Yuri felt a pleasantness settle over him at the prospect of coffee with Otabek and food that wasn’t inhaled out of necessity and exhaustion.

Otabek changed and went down first, something about waffles and telling Yuri to take his time.

And Yuri did, combing out his hair before going straight to Otabek’s closet to steal sweatpants and-

When Yuri got to the hall he heard voices coming from the second kitchen.

It seemed that Otabek had rounded the troops. Yuri snuck quietly and then peeked from the doorway. There was Otabek’s mom rubbing his shoulder and smiling warmly. Aybek was leaning against a counter in a suit and Nurasyl was in sweatpants and stealing waffles off of the stack that had already begun to accumulate.

Otabek swatted Nurasyl’s hand away. “Stop or there’ll be none left for-”

Yuri stepped into the room when Otabek spotted him lingering.

Otabek stopped mid-reach when he caught sight of Yuri’s shirt.

“What do you think?” Yuri said waggling his eyebrows.

Otabek stared at the words across Yuri’s chest _Future Omega to Otabek Altin._

Otabek swallowed hard. “It’s….”

“Needs some revision,” Yuri said breezily before slipping between Otabek and the countertop. Otabek’s hand found his waist as if on autopilot and Yuri gave him a chaste kiss. “‘Future,’ is kind of inaccurate,” he said grinning before turning to grab some coffee.

Otabek continued to stare.

“Oh my god I broke you,” Yuri cackled.

Otabek pouted while Nurasyl jostled him into a headlock and Otabek’s mother beamed.

“It’s a very interesting shirt,” Mrs. Altin said mischievously and Yuri’s grin widened.

“I gave it to Otabek at the airport before the wedding.”

Mrs. Altin raised her eyebrows before sitting down and motioning Aybek and Yuri to grab chairs too – Otabek and Nurasyl were too busy trying to murder each other.

“Boys,” Mrs. Altin finally reprimanded. Otabek pulled back before grabbing plates.

“How many?” Otabek asked Yuri as he pulled a waffle onto a plate for him.

“I’ll do two.”

“So,” Nurasyl said dramatically. “When’s the wedding?”

Otabek almost dropped Yuri’s plate and Aybek swatted Nurasyl over the head with his newspaper. “Why don’t you tell us when _yours_ is first?”

The bickering and teasing continued all through breakfast but eventually they had to move on with their lives.

Yuri was able to stay for a couple more days, but really they both had jobs to do.

As he and Otabek pulled their bags into the foyer Mrs. Altin, the only person still in the house, came up to wish them a safe trip. Yuri would be returning to St. Petersburg and Otabek off to Germany for some big beerfest that he was DJing at.

Mrs. Altin caught Yuri in a hug that had his breath hitching. He’d never really met any of his other partner’s family members before. And hearing her whisper, “we’ll look forward to seeing you again soon,” before letting him go had Yuri speechless.

“So,” Yuri said as they waited in the airport lounge, “back to long distance.”

Otabek gave a half smile, “I guess so.”

Yuri looked ahead a strange recollection coming back to him.

“You know when Alex and I broke up?”

“What?”

It was kind of off topic and Otabek had every right to look at Yuri like he was crazy.

“No just remember it happened right after that big fashion show in Milan?”

Otabek nodded, still seemingly confused.

“Well, you and Alex were both going to be there. And I only had one night free and I- well I wanted to spend that time with you because-”

He stopped abruptly as Otabek’s eyes grew wide as saucers.

“Alex totally lost it. ‘Who the fuck do you think you’re dating? Him or me?’”

Yuri had remembered being completely annoyed and telling Alex that Otabek was his best friend. Alex had told Yuri to fuck off and that had been the end of that. Actually they hadn’t even really broken up officially, it just sort of… died. And Yuri hadn’t even cared.

Shit.

He should’ve known then. He felt Otabek’s hand on his knee and a small smile graced his lips before he squeezed lightly. Yuri felt himself deflate.

“I’m glad it didn’t work out,” Otabek said primly and Yuri snorted before slipping his hand into Otabeks.

“So when will I see you again?” Yuri asked.

“Every night on skype.”

Yuri raised his eyebrows.

“And in the mornings too.”

Yuri couldn’t stop the smile. “What about time zones?”

Otabek pretended to think. “We’ll just have to do your morning and my morning and then twice in the evening as well.”

“Sounds like a lot.”

“Or not enough,” Otabek said becoming serious. Yuri bit his lip.

“It’s gonna suck but….”

“But we’ll be ok,” Otabek finished.

“Yeah,” Yuri breathed before shuffling a little closer in his seat. They’d be just fine, after all they’d been doing this dance for years now anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to thank everyone who's been keeping up with this story. Your comments have really fueled my writing and it's been so much fun to hear everyone's thoughts and feelings as these two try to get their shit together.  
> And a future thank you to everyone who reads from here on out :)
> 
> I take prompts at my tumblr [radderberad](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/radderberad) so don't be a stranger!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are much appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to read :)


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